The roles of parenting, resilience, and interpersonal relationships on adolescents' mental health and stress-related growth during COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The present longitudinal study investigated parenting style as a precursor for Chinese adolescents' stress-related growth and mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the mediating roles of intrapersonal resilience and interpersonal relationships (i.e., peer and parent-adolescent). METHODS: Chinese adolescents in a middle school (7th grade) and their parents in Beijing, China, were invited to complete a survey at two time points (T1: September 2020, T2: June 2021). A total of 206 adolescents (52.9% boys; Mage = 12.90 years, SDage = 0.33) and parents (17.5% fathers, 82.4% mothers; Mage = 43.50 years, SDage = 4.76 years) were included in this study. RESULTS: Results showed that Chinese parents' authoritarian, not authoritative parenting, predicted adolescents' mental health difficulties nine months later. In addition, parent-adolescent relationships, but not peer relationships nor resilience, mediated the relations between parenting style and stress-related growth. Adolescents' resilience predicted fewer mental health difficulties. CONCLUSION: It is important to target multiple ecologies (e.g., family) of adolescents for promoting positive adjustment.

COVID-19 Stressful Life Events and Chinese Adolescents' Mental Health: Examining Resilience, Peer Relationship, and Parenting as Moderators.

The current study examines intrapersonal characteristics or factors (i.e., resilience), peer (i.e., quality of peer relationships), and family processes (i.e., parental involvement, critical comparison) as potential risk and protective factors for mental health of Chinese adolescents during COVID- 19 pandemic. A total of 504 seventh-grade students (52% boys) and their caregivers in Beijing, China completed an online survey in September 2020. Youth reported experiencing various COVID-19-related stressful life events (i.e., conflicts with parents, poor learning environment and efficiency, family financial pressure), and about 15% reported slightly elevated scores of mental health difficulties. Findings suggested personal resilience and quality of peer relationship predicted positive mental health (i.e., covitality or co-occurrence of positive psychological dispositions) and less mental health difficulties. Parent's critical comparison intensified the negative link between stressful life events and youth mental health. Implications for promoting youth mental health as schools reopen are discussed.

Transcriptome and metabolite analyses provide insights into zigzag-shaped stem formation in tea plants (Camellia sinensis).

BACKGROUND: Shoot orientation is important for plant architecture formation, and zigzag-shaped shoots are a special trait found in many plants. Zigzag-shaped shoots have been selected and thoroughly studied in Arabidopsis; however, the regulatory mechanism underlying zigzag-shaped shoot development in other plants, especially woody plants, is largely unknown. RESULTS: In this study, tea plants with zigzag-shaped shoots, namely, Qiqu (QQ) and Lianyuanqiqu (LYQQ), were investigated and compared with the erect-shoot tea plant Meizhan (MZ) in an attempt to reveal the regulation of zigzag-shaped shoot formation. Tissue section observation showed that the cell arrangement and shape of zigzag-shaped stems were aberrant compared with those of normal shoots. Moreover, a total of 2175 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from the zigzag-shaped shoots of the tea plants QQ and LYQQ compared to the shoots of MZ using transcriptome sequencing, and the DEGs involved in the "Plant-pathogen interaction", "Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis", "Flavonoid biosynthesis" and "Linoleic acid metabolism" pathways were significantly enriched. Additionally, the DEGs associated with cell expansion, vesicular trafficking, phytohormones, and transcription factors were identified and analysed. Metabolomic analysis showed that 13 metabolites overlapped and were significantly changed in the shoots of QQ and LYQQ compared to MZ. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that zigzag-shaped shoot formation might be associated with the gravitropism response and polar auxin transport in tea plants. This study provides a valuable foundation for further understanding the regulation of plant architecture formation and for the cultivation and application of horticultural plants in the future.

Expression patterns of alpha-amylase and beta-amylase genes provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the responses of tea plants (Camellia sinensis) to stress and postharvest processing treatments.

MAIN CONCLUSION: The alpha-amylase and beta-amylase genes have been identified from tea plants, and their bioinformatic characteristics and expression patterns provide a foundation for further studies to elucidate their biological functions. Alpha-amylase (AMY)- and beta-amylase (BAM)-mediated starch degradation plays central roles in carbohydrate metabolism and participates extensively in the regulation of a wide range of biological processes, including growth, development and stress response. However, the AMY and BAM genes in tea plants (Camellia sinensis) are poorly understood, and the biological functions of these genes remain to be elucidated. In this study, three CsAMY and nine CsBAM genes from tea plants were identified based on genomic and transcriptomic database analyses, and the genes were subjected to comprehensive bioinformatic characterization. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the CsAMY proteins could be clustered into three different subfamilies, and nine CsBAM proteins could be classified into four groups. Putative catalytically active proteins were identified based on multiple sequence alignments, and the tertiary structures of these proteins were analyzed. Cis-element analysis indicated that CsAMY and CsBAM were extensively involved in tea plant growth, development and stress response. In addition, the CsAMY and CsBAM genes were differentially expressed in various tissues and were regulated by stress treatments (e.g., ABA, cold, drought and salt stress), and the expression patterns of these genes were associated with the postharvest withering and rotation processes. Taken together, our results will enhance the understanding of the roles of the CsAMY and CsBAM gene families in the growth, development and stress response of tea plants and of the potential functions of these genes in determining tea quality during the postharvest processing of tea leaves.

A precise and accurate acupoint location obtained on the face using consistency matrix pointwise fusion method.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a more precise and accurate method, and identified a procedure to measure whether an acupoint had been correctly located. METHODS: On the face, we used an acupoint location from different acupuncture experts and obtained the most precise and accurate values of acupoint location based on the consistency information fusion algorithm, through a virtual simulation of the facial orientation coordinate system. RESULTS: Because of inconsistencies in each acupuncture expert's original data, the system error the general weight calculation. First, we corrected each expert of acupoint location system error itself, to obtain a rational quantification for each expert of acupuncture and moxibustion acupoint location consistent support degree, to obtain pointwise variable precision fusion results, to put every expert's acupuncture acupoint location fusion error enhanced to pointwise variable precision. Then, we more effectively used the measured characteristics of different acupuncture expert's acupoint location, to improve the measurement information utilization efficiency and acupuncture acupoint location precision and accuracy. CONCLUSION: Based on using the consistency matrix pointwise fusion method on the acupuncture experts' acupoint location values, each expert's acupoint location information could be calculated, and the most precise and accurate values of each expert's acupoint location could be obtained.

Parent work-life conflict and adolescent adjustment during COVID-19: Mental health and parenting as mediators.

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic is an unprecedented challenging time for parents and adolescents. The present study examines the role of parent work-life conflict on adolescent adjustment (i.e., academic engagement and mental health) and family processes (i.e., parental mental health and parenting) as potential mediators for this association. A total of 692 middle school students (53.2% boys; Mage = 13.54 years, SDage = 0.58) and their parents (29.6% fathers and 70.4% mothers; Mage = 44.75 years, SDage = 4.14 years) completed an online survey in May 2020 in Beijing, China. Results indicated that many parents (24.6%) experienced work-life conflicts amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Findings also showed that parent work-life conflict was negatively associated with youth academic engagement and mental health indirectly through parental mental health difficulties and parenting behavior (parental control, autonomy granting, and parental involvement). In addition, parental mental health difficulties had direct and indirect effects on youth adjustment via parenting behaviors, such that parental involvement and autonomy granting predicted greater academic engagement and covitality (co-occurrence of positive traits and positive mental health), whereas the parental control predicted youth mental health difficulties. Our findings extend prior research by examining the pathways linking parental work-life conflict to youth adjustment during COVID-19. Findings are discussed in terms of how to better support families and promote better youth academic engagement and well-being during COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

Media moments: how media events and business incentives drive twitter engagement within the small business community.

Twitter is one of the most popular social networking platforms today with nearly 238 million active daily users. While the platform is used by a myriad of individuals for various purposes, businesses both large and small have begun to adopt Twitter into their business strategy to better connect with consumers. Considering the growing emphasis on social media engagement in the business sector, the present study examines some of the fastest-growing American small businesses from the perspective of media events theory. According to media events theory, certain large-scale events will attract excess viewership and attention from the public, both on traditional and digital platforms. We examine how small businesses leveraged media events of 2020, including COVID-19 and the 2020 US presidential election, so as to increase engagement and foster the growth of their businesses via Twitter. Using 35000 tweets based on media event-related hashtags collected throughout 2020, we investigated Twitter engagement among 100 of the fastest-growing small businesses in the USA. Through the use of network analysis metrics, we illustrate that businesses that tweeted about media events often received greater levels of user engagement and exerted greater influence over their respective networks.

Integrative Transcriptomic and Metabolic Analyses Provide Insights into the Role of Trichomes in Tea Plant (Camellia Sinensis).

Trichomes, which develop from epidermal cells, are regarded as one of the key features that are involved in the evaluation of tea quality and tea germplasm resources. The metabolites from trichomes have been well characterized in tea products. However, little is known regarding the metabolites in fresh tea trichomes and the molecular differences in trichomes and tea leaves per se. In this study, we developed a method to collect trichomes from tea plant tender shoots, and their main secondary metabolites, including catechins, caffeine, amino acids, and aroma compounds, were determined. We found that the majority of these compounds were significantly less abundant in trichomes than in tea leaves. RNA-Seq was used to investigate the differences in the molecular regulatory mechanism between trichomes and leaves to gain further insight into the differences in trichomes and tea leaves. In total, 52.96 Gb of clean data were generated, and 6560 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 4471 upregulated and 2089 downregulated genes, were identified in the trichomes vs. leaves comparison. Notably, the structural genes of the major metabolite biosynthesis pathways, transcription factors, and other key DEGs were identified and comparatively analyzed between trichomes and leaves, while trichome-specific genes were also identified. Our results provide new insights into the differences between tea trichomes and leaves at the metabolic and transcriptomic levels, and open up new doors to further recognize and re-evaluate the role of trichomes in tea quality formation and tea plant growth and development.

[Rolling needle pricking-cupping therapy and traditional pricking-cupping therapy for cervical spondylosis of neck type: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between rolling needle pricking-cupping (RNP-C) and traditional pricking-cupping (TP-C) for cervical spondylosis of neck type. METHODS: A total of 96 patients with cervical spondylosis of neck type were randomly divided into an RNP-C group, a TP-C group and an electroacupuncture (EA) group, 32 cases in each group. Each group was treated with EA at Jingbailao (EX-HN 15), Fengchi (GB 20), Dazhui (GV 14), Jianjing (GB 21) and ashi points with continuous wave and 2 Hz of frequency; each EA treatment lasted for 20 min, once every 3 to 5 days, totaling 6 treatments. On the basis of EA treatment, the patients in the TP-C group were treated with bloodletting by seven-star needle, followed by fire cupping; the patients in the RNP-C group were treated with bloodletting by rolling needle, followed by fire cupping. The treatment was given once a week for 4 weeks. The follow-up was 1 month. Before treatment, 2 and 4 weeks into treatment and follow-up, the Northwick Park neck-pain questionnaire (NPQ) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were evaluated. The acupuncture pain degree was recorded at the first treatment and 2 and 4 weeks into treatment. The efficacy was evaluated after 4 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Compared before treatment, the scores of NPQ and VAS in each group were all reduced at 2 and 4 weeks into treatment and follow-up (P<0.05). The scores of NPQ in the TP-C group and the RNP-C group were lower than those in the EA group at 2 and 4 weeks into treatment (P<0.05). The scores of VAS in the TP-C group and the RNP-C group were lower than those in the EA group at 2 and 4 weeks into treatment and follow-up (P<0.05). The differences of NPQ and VAS scores between the TP-C group and the RNP-C group at each time point after treatment were not significant (P>0.05). The acupuncture pain degree in the RNP-C group was lower than that in the TP-C group (P<0.05). The total effective rates were 79.3% (23/29) in the TP-C group and 75.0% (24/32) in the RNP-C group, which was superior to 63.3% (19/30) in the EA group (P<0.05), but there was no statistical significance between the TP-C group and the RNP-C group (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: TP-C and RNP-C could both improve the cervical pain symptoms in patients with cervical spondylosis of neck type, and improve the overall function of the cervical spine, and the curative effect is similar.

[Protective Effects of Acupuncture Intervention Against Damage of Intestinal Mucosal Barrier Induced by 5-Fluorouracil in Rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture intervention on the diarrhea, mucosal thickness of the small intestine, plasma endotoxin (ET) and D-lactic acid (D-LA) contents, and diamine oxidase (DAO) activity in 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) induced intestinal mucosal damage rats, in order to provide an experimental basis for acupuncture therapy in improving chemotherapy-induced intestinal mucosa injury. METHODS: Thirty female SD rats were randomly divided into control group, model group and acupuncture group (n = 10 in each group). The intestinal mucosal damage model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu (50 mg/kg, for six consecutive days). Acupuncture stimulation was applied to bilateral "Tianshu" (ST 25) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) once a day for six consecutive days. The changes of body weight and diarrhea score (0-3 points, according to Kurita's methods) as well as mucosal thickness of the small intestine were determined. The plasma ET and D-LA contents, and DAO activity were measured by ELISA. RESULTS: On the sixth day, the body weight was significantly higher in the acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.05). After intraperitoneal injection of 5-Fu, both the incidence rate and average score of diarrhea reached the peak on the sixth day in the model and acupuncture groups, and were significantly lower in the acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.01). On the seventh day, the mucosal thickness of small intestine was significantly lower in the model group than in the control group (P<0.05), but had no remarkable changes after acupuncture intervention( P>0.05). The contents of plasma ET and D-LA and DAO activity level were significantly higher in the model group than in the control group, and markedly decreased in the acupuncture group than in the model group (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture intervention can lower the incidence rate and average score of diarrhea and down-regulate the increased plasma ET and D-LA contents and DAO activity levels in 5-Fu induced intestinal mucosal damage rats, suggesting a somewhat protective effect of acupuncture against chemotherapy induced damage of the intestinal mucosal barrier.