Motion capture-based evaluation of lower chopstick stability.

[Purpose] When using chopsticks with a standard grip, the lower chopstick is held firmly; the upper chopstick dominates the motion between open and closed postures. This study's primary aim was to evaluate the stability of the lower chopstick when maneuvering with the dominant hand. The secondary goal was to test whether using chopsticks with the non-dominant hand improves the stability of the lower chopstick. [Participants and Methods] The study included 34 healthy adults as participants. Motion capture was used to assess the stability of a lower chopstick held with the dominant hand and explore the effect of training on lower chopstick stability with the non-dominant hand. [Results] Prior to non-dominant hand chopstick training, the stability of the lower chopstick was significantly greater when held with the dominant hand than when held with the non-dominant hand. However, after 10 days of non-dominant hand chopstick training, the stability of the lower chopstick held with the non-dominant hand improved significantly. [Conclusion] This study's findings provide important insights into the effectiveness of non-dominant hand training in patients who need to use their non-dominant hands.

Sensory weighting of position and force feedback during pinching.

Human hands are complex biomechanical systems that allow for dexterous tasks with many degrees of freedom. Coordination of the fingers is essential for many activities of daily living and involves integrating sensory signals. During this sensory integration, the central nervous system deals with the uncertainty of sensory signals. When handling compliant objects, force and position are related. Interactions with stiff objects result in reduced position changes and increased force changes compared to compliant objects. Literature has shown sensory integration of force and position at the shoulder. Nevertheless, differences in sensory requirements between proximal and distal joints may lead to different proprioceptive representations, hence findings at proximal joints cannot be directly transferred to distal joints, such as the digits. Here, we investigate the sensory integration of force and position during pinching. A haptic manipulator rendered a virtual spring with adjustable stiffness between the index finger and the thumb. Participants had to blindly reproduce a force against the spring. In both visual reference trials and blind reproduction trials, the relation between pinch force and spring compression was constant. However, by covertly changing the spring characteristics in catch trials into an adjusted force-position relation, the participants' weighting of force and position could be revealed. In agreement with previous studies on the shoulder, participants relied more on force sense in trials with higher stiffness. This study demonstrated stiffness-dependent sensory integration of force and position feedback during pinching.

Surgical correction of the lower lateral cartilage protrusion and external nasal valve pinching with lateral crural resection technique.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to demonstrate a novel surgical technique in the treatment of lower lateral crural protrusion and external nasal valve pinching. METHOD: The lower lateral crural resection technique was used in 24 patients who underwent open technique septorhinoplasty between 2019 and 2022. Fourteen of the patients were female and 10 were male. In this technique, excess part of crura's tail was excised from the lower lateral crura and placed in the same pocket. This area was supported with a diced cartilage and a postoperative nasal retainer was applied. We have corrected the aesthetic problem that occurs when the lower lateral cartilage is convex, and external nasal valve pinching that occurs when the lower lateral crural protrusion is concave. RESULT: The mean age of the patients was 23. The mean follow-up time of the patients was between 6 and 18 months. No complications were observed due to this technique. Satisfactory results were obtained in the postoperative period after surgery. CONCLUSION: A new surgical approach has been proposed for patients with lower lateral crural protrusion and external nasal valve pinching using the lateral crural resection technique.

Design, Fabrication, and Performance Test of a New Type of Soft-Robotic Gripper for Grasping.

This investigation presents a novel soft-robotic pneumatic gripper that consists of three newly proposed soft actuators. The newly proposed soft actuators adopt a composite structure of two kinds of pneumatic networks which can work independently and play their respective roles in grasping. The design, analyses, and fabrication of the proposed soft actuators are introduced systematically, and then an experimental system is built to examine the output characteristics of the soft actuator. Compared with the conventional single pneumatic network-based soft actuator, the newly proposed one combines the advantages of the two pneumatic networks, and it employs a larger output force and retains desired bending deformation ability at the same time. The grasping performance test results show that the new soft gripper constituted by the proposed soft actuators has high reliability and stability whether in pinching or in enveloping grasping, and it is also competent for grasping heavier or irregular objects, demonstrating the feasibility and effectiveness of the newly proposed soft actuator, and giving it a good and wide application prospect.

Effect of Force, Posture, and Repetitive Wrist Motion on Intraneural Blood Flow in the Median Nerve.

OBJECTIVES: Pinching, deviated wrist postures, and repetitive motion are risk factors for carpal tunnel syndrome. Hypervascularization of the median nerve and increased intraneural blood flow proximal to the carpal tunnel result in finger force and deviated wrist postures. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of pinching with and without force, wrist posture, and repetitive wrist motion on intraneural blood flow in the median nerve. METHODS: Eleven healthy and 11 carpal tunnel syndrome-symptomatic individuals completed 3 sections of this study: 15 pinch posture force trials, 3 repetitive wrist motion trials, and 3 static wrist posture trials. Intraneural blood flow (centimeters per second) was measured with pulsed wave Doppler ultrasound during each trial. Transverse B-mode images obtained from static trials were used to calculate the median nerve cross-sectional area and circumference. RESULTS: An analysis of variance statistical analysis revealed significant main effects of pinch posture force (F4,80 = 21.397; P < .001) and wrist posture (F2,40 = 14.545; P < .001). Intraneural blood flow velocities were significantly greater when 6 N of force was applied by the thumb, finger, or pinch compared to no applied force in the same postures. Intraneural blood flow velocities were higher at 30° wrist flexion (mean ± SD, 2.24 ± 0.42 cm/s) than neutral (2.06 ± 0.45 cm/s) and 30° wrist extension (1.97 ± 0.46 cm/s). No changes were found in response to repetitive wrist motion. CONCLUSIONS: Flexed wrists as well as applied finger and thumb forces increase median nerve blood flow at the entry to the carpal tunnel, which may negatively affect the median nerve.

Force model for laparoscopic graspers: implications for virtual simulator design.

INTRODUCTION: Laparoscopic graspers limit haptic perception, which in turn leads to tissue damage. Using virtual simulators to train surgeons in handling these instruments would ensure safer grasp. The design of a laparoscopic virtual simulator with force feedback depends on effective implementation of the grasper force model. OBJECTIVE: To develop a laparoscopic grasper tip force model theoretically from grasper mechanics and validate the same experimentally during laparoscopic pinching. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We developed a force model for double and single jaw action graspers using grasper mechanics. For experimental validation, the handle angle and the forces at the tip and the handle of the instrumented graspers during laparoscopic pinching of porcine abdominal tissues were measured. The intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) between experimental and calculated tip force was calculated. RESULT: Excellent ICC (ICC ≥0.8, p<.001) between calculated and experimental tip force was obtained for both graspers for all grasped tissues. Mean absolute forces for all trials while using double and single jaw action graspers were ((FTc = 1.7N, FTe = 1.8N) and (FTc = 2.2N, FTe = 2.8N)) for gall bladder, ((FTc = 3.4N, FTe = 4.4N) and (FTc = 3.3N, FTe = 3.4N)) for liver and ((FTc = 4.2N, FTe = 4.5N) and (FTc = 2.3N, FTe = 2.6N)) for spleen, respectively. CONCLUSION: The proposed model may be used for the design of laparoscopic pinching action in a virtual simulator with force feedback and also for better ergonomic design of laparoscopic graspers.

Three-dimensional finger joint angles by hand posture and object properties.

The objective of this study was to identify three-dimensional finger joint angles for various hand postures and object properties. Finger joint angles were measured using a VICON system for 10 participants while they pinched objects with two, three, four and five fingers and grasped them with five fingers. The objects were cylinders and square pillars with diameters of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm and weights of 400, 800, 1400 and 1800 g. Hand posture and object size more significantly affected the joint flexion angles than did object shape and weight. Object shape affected only the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint angle of the index finger and the flexion angle of the MCP joint of the little finger. Larger flexion angles resulted when the hand posture was grasping with five fingers. The joint angle increased linearly as the object size decreased. This report provides fundamental information about the specific joint angles of the thumb and fingers. Practitioner Summary: Three-dimensional finger joint angles are of special interest in ergonomics because of their importance in handheld devices and musculoskeletal hand disorders. In this study, the finger joint angles corresponding to various hand postures and objects with different properties were determined.

Continuous production machine for separating and shaping Taiping Houkui tea.

In response to the challenges of low automation and a lack of a continuous processing system for Taiping Houkui tea, this study proposed a design scheme for a continuous processing line and built a continuous processing prototype for testing by combining the production requirements of Taiping Houkui tea, the characteristics of withered leaves, and the existing relevant production equipment. First, the physical properties of Taiping Houkui tea were determined. A simulation was performed using the Hertz-Mindlin model, and the motion states of the tea leaves were obtained under different conditions to define the parameter design range of the experimental platform and verify its structural rationality. Then, the response surface methodology was used to optimize the working parameter ranges and obtain the best working parameters for the feeding and kneading mechanisms. Finally, a continuous production prototype was constructed for further production verification. The experimental results show that the success rate of continuous production on this platform was 70.68%, with an average output of approximately 0.4 kg/h for Taiping Houkui dry tea on a single slide track, and the produced tea was similar to manually made tea. This demonstrates that the continuous production technique has high feasibility and provides a reference for continuous production of Taiping Houkui tea.

Smartphone-Based Assessment of Mobility and Manual Dexterity in Adult People with Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Background: More responsive, reliable, and clinically valid endpoints of disability are essential to reduce size, duration, and burden of clinical trials in adult persons with spinal muscular atrophy (aPwSMA). Objective: The aim is to investigate the feasibility of smartphone-based assessments in aPwSMA and provide evidence on the reliability and construct validity of sensor-derived measures (SDMs) of mobility and manual dexterity collected remotely in aPwSMA. Methods: Data were collected from 59 aPwSMA (23 walkers, 20 sitters and 16 non-sitters) and 30 age-matched healthy controls (HC). SDMs were extracted from five smartphone-based tests capturing mobility and manual dexterity, which were administered in-clinic and remotely in daily life for four weeks. Reliability (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients, ICC) and construct validity (ability to discriminate between HC and aPwSMA and correlations with Revised Upper Limb Module, RULM and Hammersmith Functional Scale - Expanded HFMSE) were quantified for all SDMs. Results: The smartphone-based assessments proved feasible, with 92.1% average adherence in aPwSMA. The SDMs allowed to reliably assess both mobility and dexterity (ICC > 0.75 for 14/22 SDMs). Twenty-one out of 22 SDMs significantly discriminated between HC and aPwSMA. The highest correlations with the RULM were observed for SDMs from the manual dexterity tests in both non-sitters (Typing, ρ= 0.78) and sitters (Pinching, ρ= 0.75). In walkers, the highest correlation was between mobility tests and HFMSE (5 U-Turns, ρ= 0.79). Conclusions: This exploratory study provides preliminary evidence for the usability of smartphone-based assessments of mobility and manual dexterity in aPwSMA when deployed remotely in participants' daily life. Reliability and construct validity of SDMs remotely collected in real-life was demonstrated, which is a pre-requisite for their use in longitudinal trials. Additionally, three novel smartphone-based performance outcome assessments were successfully established for aPwSMA. Upon further validation of responsiveness to interventions, this technology holds potential to increase the efficiency of clinical trials in aPwSMA.

Topping and NPK fertilization alter seed germination, plant growth and active components of Valeriana amurensis.

Introduction: Valeriana amurensis, a tall herbaceous plant, has been traditionally utilized as a herbal remedy both in China and Russia. Methods: This study was set to explore how to cultivate high quality seedlings, considering factors such as seedling time, seeding density, shading, and plastic film mulching. In addition, we investigated the impact of topping and fertilizer on the growth and quality of V. amurensis. Results: According to the percentage of seed germination, the seeds of V. amurensis were sowed with 0.88 g m-2 density using plastic film mulching from late April to mid-May (germination percentage was more than 30%). The optimal Transplanting time was identified as late September, ensuring a high survival rate of 98%. Generally, topping showed the most improved growth indices in late fruit period (21.87 for number of radical leaves) and withering period (6.50 for number of buds and 234.81 for number of roots). Topping increased the yields of valtrate (10.91 mg per plant), valepotriates (809.51 mg per plant) and essential oil (395.64 mg per plant) in withering period. Nitrogen fertilizer promoted maximum root growth and increased the biomass of V. amurensis. Meanwhile, N fertilizer significantly increased the yields of valtrate to 10.46 mg per plant and valepotriates to 772.32 mg per plant among three types of fertilizers. Seedlings are obtained according to rational sowing factors and transplanting time. Topping and nitrogen fertilization emerge as superior strategies to enhance the growth and medicinal quality of this valuable plant. Discussion: This study provides actionable insights for the cultivation V. amurensis.

Alteration of serotonin release response in the central nucleus of the amygdala to noxious and non-noxious mechanical stimulation in a neuropathic pain model rat.

Previously, we found that serotonin (5-HT) release in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) of anesthetized rats decreases in response to innocuous stroking of the skin, irrespective of stimulus laterality, but increases in response to noxious pinching applied to a hindlimb contralateral to the 5-HT measurement site. The aim of the present study was to determine whether intra-CeA 5-HT release responses to cutaneous stimulation were altered in an animal model of neuropathic pain induced by ligation of the left L5 spinal nerve. In anesthetized neuropathic pain model rats, stroking of the left hindlimb increased 5-HT release in the CeA, whereas stroking of the right hindlimb decreased it. Meanwhile, pinching of the left hindlimb increased intra-CeA 5-HT release irrespective of stimulus laterality. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that intra-CeA 5-HT release responses to cutaneous stimulation are altered in an animal model of neuropathic pain.

A neural signature for brain compensation in stroke with EEG and TMS: Insights from the DEFINE cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to explore the relationships between potential neurophysiological biomarkers and upper limb motor function recovery in stroke patients, specifically focusing on combining two neurophysiological markers: electroencephalography (EEG) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). METHODS: This cross-sectional study analyzed neurophysiological, clinical, and demographical data from 102 stroke patients from the DEFINE cohort. We searched for correlations of EEG and TMS measurements combined to build a prediction model for upper limb motor functionality, assessed by five outcomes, across five assessments: Fugl-Meyer Assessment (FMA), Handgrip Strength Test (HST), Finger Tapping Test (FTT), Nine-Hole Peg Test (9HPT), and Pinch Strength Test (PST). RESULTS: Our multivariate models agreed on a specific neural signature: higher EEG Theta/Alpha ratio in the frontal region of the lesioned hemisphere is associated with poorer motor outcomes, while increased MEP amplitude in the non-lesioned hemisphere correlates with improved motor function. These relationships are held across all five motor assessments, suggesting the potential of these neurophysiological measures as recovery biomarkers. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate a potential neural signature of brain compensation in which lower frequencies of EEG power are increased in the lesioned hemisphere, and lower corticospinal excitability is also increased in the non-lesioned hemisphere. We discuss the meaning of these findings in the context of motor recovery in stroke.

Measuring the force of the tip of the elephants trunk.

Forces that animals can exert is of great interest in biology. Regarding the elephant trunk, the maximum mass that an elephant can lift with its trunk is known, but the pinching force of the trunk tip is unknown. We here present an original system to measure this force for an organ much coveted in soft robotics for example. It consists of:•A wooden box protecting the elephants and the measuring system with no protruding parts except the sensor. This box has an opening at the back to fill it with apples and a trap door at the front to release the apples.•Two load cells protruding from the box connected to an electronic system controlled by an Arduino card that records and sends the pinch force via Wi-Fi to a laptop while releasing a reward apple.•Depending on the threshold chosen, the elephant must pinch harder than the previous time to release the next apple. The repetition of this action allows us to approach the maximum force it can achieve.The system, tested on elephants at the Beauval Zooparc (France), has demonstrated that it is effective in measuring the pinching force of the tip of the trunk.

Unconventional Protein Secretion Dependent on Two Extracellular Vesicles: Exosomes and Ectosomes.

In addition to conventional protein secretion, dependent on the specific cleavage of signal sequences, proteins are secreted by other processes, all together called unconventional. Among the mechanisms operative in unconventional secretion, some are based on two families of extracellular vesicle (EVs), expressed by all types of cells: the exosomes (before secretion called ILVs) and ectosomes (average diameters ∼70 and ∼250 nm). The two types of EVs have been largely characterized by extensive studies. ILVs are assembled within endocytic vacuoles by inward budding of small membrane microdomains associated to cytosolic cargos including unconventional secretory proteins. The vacuoles containing ILVs are called multivesicular bodies (MVBs). Upon their possible molecular exchange with autophagosomes, MVBs undergo two alternative forms of fusion: 1. with lysosomes, followed by large digestion of their cargo molecules; and 2. with plasma membrane (called exocytosis), followed by extracellular diffusion of exosomes. The vesicles of the other type, the ectosomes, are differently assembled. Distinct plasma membrane rafts undergo rapid outward budding accompanied by accumulation of cytosolic/secretory cargo molecules, up to their sewing and pinching off. Both types of EV, released to the extracellular fluid in their complete forms including both membrane and cargo, start navigation for various times and distances, until their fusion with target cells. Release/navigation/fusion of EVs establish continuous tridimensional networks exchanging molecules, signals and information among cells. The proteins unconventionally secreted via EVs are a few hundreds. Some of them are functionally relevant (examples FADD, TNF, TACE), governing physiological processes and important diseases. Such proteins, at present intensely investigated, predict future discoveries and innovative developments, relevant for basic research and clinical practice.

A rare case of Neuhauser syndrome associated with a Kommerell diverticulum.

Neuhauser syndrome is a rare vascular anomaly characterized by the esophagus and trachea circling via the ligamentum arteriosum and right aortic arch. Kommerell's diverticulum have the same characteristic by an outpouch at the onset of an aberrant left subclavian artery worsening this compression. The association between these pathologies is very rare and the operative strategy is unclear. We describe a case with the association with a computed tomography scanner aortic reconstruction and a repair's operative strategy.

Review of Modeling Techniques for Analysis and Assessment of RC Beam-Column Joints Subjected to Seismic Loads.

Beam-column connections are the most critical components of reinforced concrete (RC) structures. They serve as a load transfer path and take a significant portion of the overall shear. Joints in RC structures constructed with no seismic provisions have an insufficient capacity and ductility under lateral loading and can cause the progressive failure of the entire structure. The joint may fail in the shear prior to the connecting beam and column elements. Therefore, several modeling techniques have been devised in the past to capture the non-linear response of such joints. Modeling techniques used to capture the non-linear response of reinforced-concrete-beam-column joints range from simplified lumped plasticity models to detailed fiber-based finite element (FE) models. The macro-modeling technique for joint modeling is highly efficient in terms of the computational effort, analysis time, and computer memory requirements, and is one of the most widely used modeling techniques. The non-linear shear response of the joint panel and interface bond-slip mechanism are concentrated in zero-length linear and rotational springs while the connecting elements are modeled through elastic elements. The shear response of joint panels has also been captured through rigid panel boundary elements with rotational springs. The computational efficiency of these models is significantly high compared to continuum models, as each joint act as a separate supe-element. This paper aims to provide an up-to-date review of macro-modeling techniques for the analysis and assessment of RC-beam-column connections subjected to lateral loads. A thorough understanding of existing models is necessary for developing new mechanically adequate and computationally efficient joint models for the analysis and assessment of deficient RC connections. This paper will provide a basis for further research on the topic and will assist in the modification and optimization of existing models. As each model is critically evaluated, and their respective capabilities and limitations are explored, it should help researchers to improve and build on modeling techniques both in terms of accuracy and computational efficiency.

A Statistical Model to Determine Biomechanical Limits for Physically Safe Interactions With Collaborative Robots.

Collaborative robots (cobots) provide a wide range of opportunities to improve the ergonomics and efficiency of manual work stations. ISO/TS 15066 defines power and force limiting (PFL) as one of four safeguarding modes for these robots. PFL specifies biomechanical limits for hazardous impacts and pinching contacts that a cobot must not exceed to protect humans from serious injuries. Most of the limits in ISO/TS 15066 are preliminary, since they are based on unverified data from a literature survey. This article presents a human-subject study that provides new and experimentally verified limits for biomechanically safe interactions between humans and cobots. The new limits are specifically tailored to impact and pinching transferred through blunt and semi-sharp surfaces as they can occur in the event of human error or technical failures. Altogether 112 subjects participated in the study and were subjected to tests with emulated impact and pinching loads at 28 different body locations. During the experiments, the contact force was gradually increased until the load evoked a slightly painful feeling on the subject's body location under test. The results confirm that the pain thresholds of males and females are different in specific body regions. Therefore, when defining biomechanical limits, the gender difference must be taken into account. A regression model was utilized to incorporate the gender effect as a covariate into a conventional statistical distribution model that can be used to calculate individual limits, precisely fitted to a specific percentile of a mixed group of male and female workers which interacting with cobots.

The combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on a habitat-forming shell-crushing predatory crab.

In mid rocky intertidal habitats the mussel Perumytilus purpurarus monopolizes the substratum to the detriment of many other species. However, the consumption of mussels by the shell-crushing crab Acanthocyclus hassleri creates within the mussel beds space and habitat for several other species. This crab uses its disproportionately large claw to crush its shelled prey and plays an important role in maintaining species biodiversity. This study evaluated the consequences of projected near-future ocean acidification (OA) and warming (OW) on traits of A. hassleri linked with their predatory performance. Individual A. hassleri were maintained for 10-16 weeks under contrasting pCO2 (~500 and 1400 µatm) and temperature (~15 and 20 °C) levels. We compared traits at the organismal (oxygen consumption rate, survival, calcification rate, feeding rates, crusher claw pinching strength, self-righting speed, sarcomere length of the crusher claw muscles) and cellular (nutritional status ATP provisioning capacity through citrate synthase activity, expression of HSP70) level. Survival, calcification rate and sarcomere length were not affected by OA and OW. However, OW increased significantly feeding and oxygen consumption. Pinching strength was reduced by OA; meanwhile self-righting was increased by OA and OW. At 20 °C, carbohydrate content was reduced significantly by OA. Regardless of temperature, a significant reduction in energy reserves in terms of protein content by OA was found. The ATP provisioning capacity was significantly affected by the interaction between temperature and pCO2 and was highest at 15 °C and present day pCO2 levels. The HSP70 levels of crabs exposed to OW were higher than in the control crabs. We conclude that OA and OW might affect the amount and size of prey consumed by this crab. Therefore, by reducing the crab feeding performance these stressors might pose limits on their role in generating microhabitat for other rocky intertidal species inhabiting within mussel beds.

Effect of hand postures and object properties on forearm muscle activities using surface electromyography.

Introduction. The objective of this study was to measure the effect of hand postures and object properties on nine forearm muscle activities and their contribution using surface electromyography. Methods. Ten male university students participated in the experiment. The objects used were cylindrical and rectangular, with lengths and weights of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm and 400, 800, 1400 and 1800 g. The experimenter told the participant to pick up the object using a particular hand posture, lift the object to approximately shoulder height and maintain this posture for 3 s. Results. The hand posture, object size and object weight greatly influenced the muscle activities, but the object shape did not. Pinching with two or three fingers yielded the greatest muscle activities with the 8-cm, 1800-g object. The extensor pollicis longus and flexor pollicis longus muscles exhibited the highest submaximal voluntary contraction. Conclusion. This study provides basic information about the specific activities of the forearm muscles and the effects of the hand postures and object properties on those activities.

[Changes of growth and yield characters of five varieties (lines) of tea-applied chrysanthemum under different planting dates and pinching patterns]. / 不同定植期和摘心方案下5个品种(系)茶用菊生长和产量性状的变化.

To identify the high yield planting date and pinching pattern, we compared the yields of five new varieties (lines) of tea-applied chrysanthemum, the ‘Suju 10’, ‘Suju 12’, ‘Suju 13’, ‘CH1-44’ and ‘CH5-13’. A field experiment with split-split plot design was carried out. The main plot treatments including three (early, middle and late) planting dates, split-plot treatments including 5 new varieties (lines), and split-split-plot treatments including four different kinds of pinching schemes. The results showed that the yield of ‘CH5-13’ and ‘Suju 13’ was relatively higher among the five varieties (lines), followed by ‘CH1-44’ and ‘Suju10’, and ‘Suju 12’ showed the lowest yield. Among the five varieties (lines), planting date on May 27th and two-time pinching treatments showed the highest values of plant height, crown width, flower number, flower diameter, fresh mass, yield per plant and yield per unit area. Compared with the planting date on May 7th and June 13th, the above indexes increased by 16.0% and 19.0%, 18.0% and 22.8%, 36.7% and 42.2%, 11.1% and 2.3%, 13.0% and 4.0%, 47.8% and 36.6%, 48.5% and 36.7%, respectively. With the pinching time postponed, plant height decreased. Compared with the no pinching treatment, plant height of the two-time pinching treatment decreased by 50.2%, and values of crown width, flowers number, the flower fresh mass, the yield per plant and the yield per unit area were highest, with increases of 17.0%, 29.1%, 5.5%, 34.0% and 34.8%, respectively. The impact performance of three main factors on the growth and yield of the tea-applied chrysanthemum was in order of planting date>varieties>pinching time.