Genetic and morphological characterization of United States tea (Camellia sinensis): insights into crop history, breeding strategies, and regional adaptability.

Multiple introductions of tea (Camellia sinensis) to the United States since the 1850s have resulted in US tea germplasm that are currently poorly characterized. To resolve questions concerning the relatedness and regional adaptability of US tea germplasm, 32 domestic individuals were evaluated using 10 InDel markers, and compared with a background population of 30 named and registered Chinese varieties of tea. The marker data were analyzed via a neighbor-joining cladistic tree derived from Nei's genetic distance, STRUCTURE, and Discriminant Analysis of Principal Components, which revealed four genetic groups. Nineteen individuals selected from the four groups were assessed for seven leaf traits, two floral descriptors, and leaf yield, to identify plants best adapted to Florida field conditions. Our analyses compared with available historical records led us to estimate the most likely provenance of some of the US individuals, to precisely identify tea plant material and to choose most diverse accessions for breeding tea improved for adaptability, yield and quality.

Administration of neuropeptide Y into the rat nucleus accumbens shell, but not core, attenuates the motivational impairment from systemic dopamine receptor antagonism by α-flupenthixol.

Previous research has demonstrated that dopamine and Neuropeptide Y (NPY) promote motivated behavior, and there is evidence to suggest that they interact within neural circuitry involved in motivation. NPY and dopamine both modulate appetitive motivation towards food through direct actions in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), although how they interact in this region to promote motivation is presently unclear. In this study, we sought to further elucidate the relationship between NAc NPY and dopamine and their effects on motivated behavior. Specifically, we examined whether NAc injections of NPY might reverse behavioral deficits caused by reduced dopamine signaling due to systemic dopamine receptor antagonism. Appetitive motivation was measured using a progressive ratio-2 paradigm. Male Sprague Dawley rats were treated with systemic injections of the dopamine antagonist, α-flupenthixol or a saline vehicle. Two hours following injections, they were administered infusions of NPY (at 0, 156, or 235 pmol) into either the NAc shell (n = 12) or the NAc core (n = 10) and were placed in operant chambers. In both groups, α-flupenthixol impaired performance on the PR-2 task. NPY receptor stimulation of the NAc shell significantly increased both breakpoint and active lever presses during the PR-2 task, and dose-dependently increased responding following systemic dopamine receptor blockade. NPY did not affect appetitive motivation when injected into the NAc core. These data demonstrate that NPY in the NAc shell can improve motivational impairments that result from dopamine antagonism, and that these effects are site specific. These results also suggest that upregulation of NPY in neurodegenerative diseases may possibly buffer early motivational deficits caused by dopamine depletion in Parkinson's and Huntington's disease patients, both of which show increased NPY expression after disease onset.

Ethanol exposure alters Alzheimer's-related pathology, behavior, and metabolism in APP/PS1 mice.

Epidemiological studies identified alcohol use disorder (AUD) as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), yet there is conflicting evidence on how alcohol use promotes AD pathology. In this study, a 10-week moderate two-bottle choice drinking paradigm was used to identify how chronic ethanol exposure alters amyloid-ß (Aß)-related pathology, metabolism, and behavior. Ethanol-exposed APPswe/PSEN1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice showed increased brain atrophy and an increased number of amyloid plaques. Further analysis revealed that ethanol exposure led to a shift in the distribution of plaque size in the cortex and hippocampus. Ethanol-exposed mice developed a greater number of smaller plaques, potentially setting the stage for increased plaque proliferation in later life. Ethanol drinking APP/PS1 mice also exhibited deficits in nest building, a metric of self-care, as well as increased locomotor activity and central zone exploration in an open field test. Ethanol exposure also led to a diurnal shift in feeding behavior which was associated with changes in glucose homeostasis and glucose intolerance. Complementary in vivo microdialysis experiments were used to measure how acute ethanol directly modulates Aß in the hippocampal interstitial fluid (ISF). Acute ethanol transiently increased hippocampal ISF glucose levels, suggesting that ethanol directly affects cerebral metabolism. Acute ethanol also selectively increased ISF Aß40, but not ISF Aß42, levels during withdrawal. Lastly, chronic ethanol drinking increased N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and decreased γ-aminobutyric acid type-A receptor (GABAAR) mRNA levels, indicating a potential hyperexcitable shift in the brain's excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) balance. Collectively, these experiments suggest that ethanol may increase Aß deposition by disrupting metabolism and the brain's E/I balance. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that a moderate drinking paradigm culminates in an interaction between alcohol use and AD-related phenotypes with a potentiation of AD-related pathology, behavioral dysfunction, and metabolic impairment.

A syndemics approach to exercise is medicine.

This paper offers new insights into the promotion of the Exercise is Medicine (EIM) framework for mental illness and chronic disease. Utilising the Syndemics Framework, which posits mental health conditions as corollaries of social conditions, we argue that medicalized exercise promotion paradigms both ignore the social conditions that can contribute to mental illness and can contribute to mental illness via discrimination and worsening self-concept based on disability. We first address the ways in which the current EIM framework may be too narrow in scope in considering the impact of social factors as determinants of health. We then consider how this narrow scope in combination with the emphasis on independence and individual prescriptions may serve to reinforce stigma and shame associated with both chronic disease and mental illness. We draw on examples from two distinct research projects, one on exercise interventions for depression and one on exercise interventions for multiple sclerosis (MS), in order to consider ways to improve the approach to exercise promotion for these and other, related populations.

Management of the brain-dead organ donor.

Organ transplantation is a life-saving intervention for patients suffering from end-stage organ failure, but it relies on the availability of donor organs. However, even when donors are available, the brain-dead organ donor is a clinically complex patient who presents many management challenges. Donor management with a goal of optimization of organ function is essential to maximizing the number of patients who can be helped by each individual donor. Thoughtful critical care management of the potential organ donor, with a focus on meeting donor management goals, can lead to improved donation outcomes.

Physical Activity and Mental Health among Chinese Adolescents.

Objectives: We assessed the relationship between physical activity (PA) and mental health among Chinese adolescents. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional survey in 4 Chinese cities - Beijing, Shanghai, Nanchang, and Urumchi. We randomly selected 25 schools from these cities in both urban and suburban areas. A total of 9269 adolescents completed the survey. We conducted multilevel logistic regressions to examine the relationship between PA engagement and mental health, adjusting for various sample characteristics. Results: Compared to those with low levels of daily PA, adolescents with moderate and high levels of daily PA had lower odds of having learning anxiety (23% for moderate and 37% for high), solitude tendency (52% for moderate and 41% for high), self-accusation (13% for moderate and 15% for high), experiencing sensitivity (15% for moderate and 13% for high), physical symptoms (20% for moderate and 21% for high), and a general mental health problem (total score of all the domains: 41% and 34%). Conclusions: An increase in PA participation holds the potential to improve multiple mental health domains among Chinese adolescents. Future longitudinal or experimental research is warranted to confirm findings from this study.

Effect of eccentric overload training on change of direction speed performance: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

This study systematically reviewed and quantified evidence regarding the effectiveness of eccentric overload training (EOT) on change-of-direction speed (CODS) performance. A keyword search was performed in 30 April 2020 in eight electronic bibliographic databases: SPORTDiscus, PubMed, Web of Science, Academic Search Complete, Cochrane Library, Scopus, CINAHL and Google Scholar. A meta-analysis was conducted to estimate the pooled effect size of EOT interventions on CODS performance compared to the control group. Study heterogeneity was assessed by the I 2 index. Publication bias was assessed by the Begg's and Egger's tests. Eleven studies, including nine randomized controlled trials, one randomized crossover trial, and one non-randomized controlled trial met the eligibility criteria and were included in the review. Time of overall change-of-direction task completion among the EOT group was 1.35 standard deviations (95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.18, 2.52) shorter than that in the control group. In conclusion, EOT was found effective in improving CODS performance compared to the control group. Future studies should adopt a randomized experimental design, recruit large and representative samples from professional team sports, and examine the effect of EOT on various measures of CODS performance among population subgroups.

Fresh- and lean-pork intake in relation to functional limitations among US older adults, 2005-2016.

BACKGROUND: Pork consumption, in particular fresh/lean-pork consumption, provides protein and other essential micronutrients that older adults need daily and may hold the potential to prevent functional limitations resulting from sub-optimal nutrition. AIM: Assess fresh/lean-pork intake in relation to functional limitations among older adults in the USA. METHODS: Individual-level data came from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005-2016 waves. Nineteen validated questions assessed five functional limitation domains: activities of daily living (ADLs); instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs); leisure and social activities (LSAs); lower extremity mobility (LEM); and general physical activities (GPAs). Logistic regressions were performed to examine pork, fresh-pork and fresh lean-pork intake in relation to functional limitations among NHANES older adults (n = 6135). RESULTS: Approximately 21, 18 and 16% of older adults consumed pork, fresh pork and fresh lean pork, respectively. An increase in pork consumption by 1 oz-equivalent/day was associated with a reduced odds of ADLs by 12%, IADLs by 10% and any functional limitation by 7%. An increase in fresh-pork consumption by 1 oz-equivalent/day was associated with a reduced odds of ADLs by 13%, IADLs by 10%, GPAs by 8%, and any functional limitation by 8%. Similar effects were found for fresh lean-pork consumption on ADLs, IADLs, GPAs and any functional limitation. CONCLUSION: This study found some preliminary evidence linking fresh/lean-pork consumption to a reduced risk of functional limitations. Future studies with longitudinal/experimental designs are warranted to examine the influence of fresh/lean-pork consumption on functional limitations.

Trade openness and the obesity epidemic: a cross-national study of 175 countries during 1975-2016.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the longitudinal relationship between trade openness and obesity rate across 175 countries during 1975-2016. METHODS: Two-way (country and year) fixed-effects regressions were performed to examine the openness index (i.e., sum of export and import over gross domestic product) in relation to country obesity rate, using data from World Health Organization and World Bank. RESULTS: The openness index was found to be positively associated with country obesity prevalence-a 10% increase in the openness index was associated with an increase in obesity rate by 0.80% (95% confidence interval, 0.67%-0.94%). Across continents, the positive relationship between the openness index and obesity prevalence was strongest among Asian countries, followed by countries in North America and Africa. Across income levels, the positive relationship between the openness index and obesity prevalence was strongest among lower middle-income countries, followed by upper middle-income countries and low-income countries. In contrast, no relationship between the two was identified among high-income countries. CONCLUSIONS: Trade openness was positively associated with country obesity prevalence, and its influence concentrated among developing nations. Policy makers should closely monitor the evolution in obesity rate during trade liberalization and nutrition transition to minimize its negative impact on weight-related population health.

Impact of Beef and Beef Product Intake on Cognition in Children and Young Adults: A Systematic Review.

(1) Background: Undernutrition and micronutrient deficiency have been consistently linked to cognitive impairment among children and young adults. As a primary source of dietary animal protein, beef consumption holds the potential to improve diet quality and positively influence cognitive function. This study systematically reviewed evidence linking beef intake to cognition among children and young adults. (2) Methods: A literature search was conducted in seven electronic bibliographic databases for studies assessing the impact of beef consumption on cognition. (3) Results: We identified eight studies reporting results from five unique interventions. Two interventions were conducted in Kenya, two in the U.S. and one in four countries including Guatemala, Pakistan, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Zambia. Only one intervention employed a non-feeding control arm and found beef consumption to improve cognitive abilities compared to the control. However, the other interventions comparing beef consumption to other food types found no consistent result. (4) Conclusions: Evidence pertaining to the impact of beef consumption on cognition remains limited due to the small and heterogeneous set of studies. Future research should adopt a population representative sample and longer follow-up period, employ a non-feeding control arm and comprehensively measure nutrient intakes among study participants.

Impact of State Laws Governing Physical Education on Attendance Among US High School Students, 2003 to 2017.

PURPOSE: This study assessed the influence of state laws governing physical education (PE) on weekly PE class attendance among US high school students. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: 2003 to 2017 US national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). PARTICIPANTS: A total of 533 468 high school students. MEASURES: Data on state laws governing PE came from National Cancer Institute's Classification of Laws Associated with School Students (CLASS). Eight distinct state PE policies were scored, with higher scores denoting stronger laws. ANALYSIS: Individual-level YRBS data were merged with CLASS data based on students' residential state and survey year. State fixed-effect negative binomial regressions were performed, adjusting for individual-level characteristics and YRBS survey design. RESULTS: A 1-score increase in state laws governing PE class time, staffing for PE, joint use agreement for physical activity, assessment of health-related fitness, and PE curriculum was associated with an increase in weekly PE attendance by 0.30, 0.28, 0.22, 0.20, and 0.13 days (P < .001), respectively. In contrast, a 1-score increase in state laws governing moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity time in PE, PE proficiency, and recess time was associated with a reduction in weekly PE attendance by 0.25, 0.15, and 0.09 days (P < .001), respectively. The effects of most state PE policies on PE class attendance were larger among girls than boys. CONCLUSION: State PE policies differentially impacted US high school students' PE class attendance, with larger effects on female students.

Total, Fresh, Lean, and Fresh Lean Beef Consumption in Relation to Nutrient Intakes and Diet Quality among U.S. Adults, 2005⁻2016.

(1) Background: This study assessed the influence of beef consumption on nutrient intakes and diet quality among U.S. adults. (2) Methods: Nationally-representative sample (n = 27,117) from 2005⁻2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey was analyzed. First-difference estimator addressed confounding bias from time-invariant unobservables (e.g., eating habits, taste preferences) by using within-individual variations in beef consumption between 2 nonconsecutive 24 h dietary recalls. (3) Results: Approximately 54%, 39%, 12%, and 7% of U.S. adults consumed beef, lean beef, fresh beef, and fresh lean beef, respectively. Overall diet quality measured by the Health Eating Index-2015 (HEI-2015) score among beef, fresh beef, lean beef, and fresh lean beef consumers was lower than beef non-consumers. Regression analyses found that beef, fresh beef, lean beef, and fresh lean beef consumption was associated with higher daily intakes of total energy, protein, sodium, choline, iron, selenium, zinc, phosphorus, and multiple B vitamins. Beef, fresh beef, and lean beef consumption but not fresh lean beef consumption was associated with higher saturated fat intake. Beef consumption was not found to be associated with overall dietary quality measured by the HEI-2015 score. (4) Conclusions: Beef consumers may increase the intake of fresh and lean beef over total beef consumption to maximize the nutritional gains from beef portions while minimizing the resulting increases in energy, saturated fat, and sodium.

Relationship processes and resilience in children with incarcerated parents.

Children with incarcerated parents are at risk for a variety of problematic outcomes, yet research has rarely examined protective factors or resilience processes that might mitigate such risk in this population. In this volume, we present findings from five new studies that focus on child- or family-level resilience processes in children with parents currently or recently incarcerated in jail or prison. In the first study, empathic responding is examined as a protective factor against aggressive peer relations for 210 elementary school age children of incarcerated parents. The second study further examines socially aggressive behaviors with peers, with a focus on teasing and bullying, in a sample of 61 children of incarcerated mothers. Emotion regulation is examined as a possible protective factor. The third study contrasts children's placement with maternal grandmothers versus other caregivers in a sample of 138 mothers incarcerated in a medium security state prison. The relation between a history of positive attachments between mothers and grandmothers and the current cocaregiving alliance are of particular interest. The fourth study examines coparenting communication in depth on the basis of observations of 13 families with young children whose mothers were recently released from jail. Finally, in the fifth study, the proximal impacts of a parent management training intervention on individual functioning and family relationships are investigated in a diverse sample of 359 imprisoned mothers and fathers. Taken together, these studies further our understanding of resilience processes in children of incarcerated parents and their families and set the groundwork for further research on child development and family resilience within the context of parental involvement in the criminal justice system.