Leaders of Peer Groups in Chinese Early Adolescents: The Roles of Social, Academic, and Psychological Characteristics in Group Leadership.

Leadership in peer groups is an important issue in adolescent socioemotional development, yet it has received limited attention in research. This one-year longitudinal study examined peer group leadership and the roles of social, academic, and psychological characteristics in the dynamics of group leadership. Participants included 1061 Chinese students (initial mean age =11.17 years; SD = 6.98 months; 49.4% female). Data were collected from peer assessments, teacher ratings, and self-reports. The longitudinal social network analysis (SIENA) indicated that peer group leadership was fluid with leadership status evolving over time across groups in a hierarchical manner. Adolescents displaying higher social competence and aggression and lower shyness were more likely to become group leaders. Academic performance and loneliness were not significantly associated with the dynamics of peer group leadership. The results help understand peer group leadership and contributions of social behaviors to the attainment of leadership status in peer groups in early adolescence.

Affinity for solitude in Chinese children and adolescents: Relations with social, school, and psychological adjustment.

This study examined relations of affinity for solitude with social-behavioral, academic, and psychological adjustment in Chinese children and adolescents. The participants included 3,417 students (1,714 boys) in fourth, sixth, and eighth grades (Mages = 10, 12, and 14 years, respectively) in China. Data on affinity for solitude were collected from students' self-reports and data on adjustment were collected from multiple sources. The results showed that whereas affinity for solitude was negatively associated with social competence and academic achievement and positively associated with behavioral problems in Grade 4, the associations were weaker or nonsignificant in Grade 6. Moreover, affinity for solitude was positively associated with academic achievement and negatively associated with behavioral problems in Grade 8. Affinity for solitude was negatively associated with psychological adjustment in general, but the associations were weaker in higher grades. The results indicate that the functional meaning of affinity for solitude may differ across developmental periods. Parents, teachers, and professionals should be aware of the different implications of affinity for solitude in childhood and adolescence and use different strategies to support children and adolescents who display affinity for solitude. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

A Pooled Analysis of Treatment-Free Survival in Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma.

PURPOSE: A clinically meaningful attribute of some immune-oncology (IO) regimens is potential durable clinical benefit during a treatment-free interval. We characterize treatment-free survival (TFS) with and without ongoing toxicity in trials of frontline IO-VEGF tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) combinations in patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma (aRCC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: Individual patient data were pooled by treatment arm from randomized trials submitted to the FDA evaluating IO-TKI combination in treatment-naïve aRCC with at least 30 months of median follow-up. OS, TFS, TFS with and without toxicity, and time to all protocol therapy cessation were assessed. TFS was estimated by 30-month restricted mean times defined as area between Kaplan-Meier curves for two time-to-event endpoints originating at randomization: time to all protocol therapy cessation and time to subsequent systemic therapy initiation or death. RESULTS: Three trials met criteria for analysis; 1183 pts received IO-TKI versus 1184 on control arms received TKI alone (sunitinib [SUN]). IO-TKI and SUN groups spent 9% (2.7 months [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.8, 3.5]) and 10% (2.9 months [95% CI: 2.1, 3.8]) of the 30-mo period alive and treatment-free, respectively. Mean TFS without grade ≥3 toxicity was 1.7 and 2.3 months in IO-TKI and SUN groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this post hoc partitioned survival analysis, TFS and TFS without toxicity appeared similar in the IO-TKI group compared to the SUN group. These findings may reflect continuation of TKI until progression per protocol design in all trials and discontinuation of IO after 2 years in 2 trials.

Fungal communities are more sensitive to mildew than bacterial communities during tobacco storage processes.

Mildew poses a significant threat to tobacco production; however, there is limited information on the structure of the abundant and rare microbial subcommunities in moldy tobacco leaves. In this study, we employed high-throughput sequencing technology to discern the disparities in the composition, diversity, and co-occurrence patterns of abundant and rare fungal and bacterial subcommunities between moldy and normal tobacco leaves collected from Guizhou, Shanghai, and Jilin provinces, China. Furthermore, we explored the correlation between microorganisms and metabolites by integrating the metabolic profiles of moldy and normal tobacco leaves. The results showed that the fungi are more sensitive to mildew than bacteria, and that the fungal abundant taxa exhibit greater resistance and environmental adaptability than the rare taxa. The loss of rare taxa results in irreversible changes in the diversity, richness, and composition of the fungal community. Moreover, rare fungal taxa and abundant bacterial taxa played crucial roles in maintaining the stability and functionality of the tobacco microecosystem. In moldy tobacco, however, the disappearance of rare taxa as key nodes resulted in reduced connectivity and stability within the fungal network. In addition, metabolomic analysis showed that the contents of indoles, pyridines, polyketones, phenols, and peptides were significantly enriched in the moldy tobacco leaves, while the contents of amino acids, carbohydrates, lipids, and other compounds were significantly reduced in these leaves. Most metabolites showed negative correlations with Dothideomycetes, Alphaproteobacteria, and Gammaproteobacteria, but showed positive correlations with Eurotiales and Bacilli. This study has demonstrated that abundant fungal taxa are the predominant biological agents responsible for tobacco mildew, while bacteria may indirectly contribute to this process through the production and degradation of metabolites. KEY POINTS: • Fungi exhibited greater sensitivity to mildew of tobacco leaf compared to bacteria • Rare fungal taxa underwent significant damage during the mildew process • Mildew may damage the defense system of the tobacco leaf microecosystem.

General requirements for the production of extracellular vesicles derived from human stem cells.

'General requirements for the production of extracellular vesicles derived from human stem cells' is the first guideline for stem cells derived extracellular vesicles in China, jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research. This standard specifies the general requirements, process requirements, packaging and labelling requirements and storage requirements for preparing extracellular vesicles derived from human stem cells, which is applicable to the research and production of extracellular vesicles derived from stem cells. It was originally released by the China Society for Cell Biology on 30 August 2022. We hope that the publication of this guideline will promote institutional establishment, acceptance and execution of proper protocols, and accelerate the international standardisation of extracellular vesicles derived from human stem cells.

Concern for mianzi: Relations with adjustment in rural and urban Chinese adolescents.

The present study examined relations between concern for mianzi, or the social perception of one's prestige and standing in the group, and adjustment in Chinese adolescents. Participants were seventh- and ninth-grade students in rural and urban regions of China (n = 794, Mage = 14 years). Data were obtained from multiple sources including peer assessments, teacher ratings, self-reports, and school records. The results showed that concern for mianzi was associated with social competence, leadership, academic achievement, as well as aggression and mixed peer relationships in rural adolescents. In contrast, concern for mianzi was associated with comprehensive social, school, and psychological adjustment problems in urban adolescents. The results indicate the role of context in shaping the relations between adolescents' concern for mianzi and adjustment.

Human neural stem cells.

'Human neural stem cells' jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research, is the first guideline for human neural stem cells (hNSCs) in China. This standard specifies the technical requirements, test methods, test regulations, instructions for use, labelling requirements, packaging requirements, storage requirements, transportation requirements and waste disposal requirements for hNSCs, which is applicable to the quality control for hNSCs. It was originally released by the China Society for Cell Biology on 30 August 2022. We hope that publication of the guideline will facilitate institutional establishment, acceptance and execution of proper protocols, and accelerate the international standardization of hNSCs for clinical development and therapeutic applications.

Human midbrain dopaminergic progenitors.

Human midbrain dopaminergic progenitors (mDAPs) are one of the most representative cell types in both basic research and clinical applications. However, there are still many challenges for the preparation and quality control of mDAPs, such as the lack of standards. Therefore, the establishment of critical quality attributes and technical specifications for mDAPs is largely needed. "Human midbrain dopaminergic progenitor" jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Chinese Society for Stem Cell Research, is the first guideline for human mDAPs in China. This standard specifies the technical requirements, test methods, inspection rules, instructions for usage, labelling requirements, packaging requirements, storage requirements, transportation requirements and waste disposal requirements for human mDAPs, which is applicable to the quality control for human mDAPs. It was originally released by the China Society for Cell Biology on 30 August 2022. We hope that the publication of this guideline will facilitate the institutional establishment, acceptance and execution of proper protocols, and accelerate the international standardization of human mDAPs for clinical development and therapeutic applications.

Identification and characterization of human hematopoietic mesoderm.

The embryonic mesoderm comprises heterogeneous cell subpopulations with distinct lineage biases. It is unclear whether a bias for the human hematopoietic lineage emerges at this early developmental stage. In this study, we integrated single-cell transcriptomic analyses of human mesoderm cells from embryonic stem cells and embryos, enabling us to identify and define the molecular features of human hematopoietic mesoderm (HM) cells biased towards hematopoietic lineages. We discovered that BMP4 plays an essential role in HM specification and can serve as a marker for HM cells. Mechanistically, BMP4 acts as a downstream target of HDAC1, which modulates the expression of BMP4 by deacetylating its enhancer. Inhibition of HDAC significantly enhances HM specification and promotes subsequent hematopoietic cell differentiation. In conclusion, our study identifies human HM cells and describes new mechanisms for human hematopoietic development.

Requirements for human natural killer cells.

'Requirements for Human Natural Killer Cells' is the latest set of guidelines on human NK cells in China, jointly drafted and agreed upon by experts from the Standards Committee of Chinese Society for Cell Biology. This standard specifies requirements for the human natural killer (NK) cells, including the technical requirements, test methods, test regulations, instructions for use, labeling requirements, packaging requirements, storage and transportation requirements, and waste disposal requirements of NK cells. This standard is applicable for the quality control of NK cells, derived from human tissues, or differentiated/transdifferentiated from stem cells. It was originally released by the Chinese Society for Cell Biology on 30 August, 2022. We hope that the publication of these guidelines will promote institutional establishment, acceptance, and execution of proper protocols and accelerate the international standardization of human NK cells for applications.

Exploiting the Monomer-Feeding Mechanism of RAFT Emulsion Polymerization for Polymerization-Induced Self-Assembly of Asymmetric Divinyl Monomers.

We exploited the monomer-feeding mechanism of reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) emulsion polymerization to achieve the successful polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) of asymmetric divinyl monomers. Colloidally stable cross-linked block copolymer nanoparticles with various morphologies, such as vesicles, were directly prepared at high solids. Morphologies of the cross-linked block copolymer nanoparticles could be controlled by varying the monomer concentration, degree of polymerization (DP) of the core-forming block, and length of the macro-RAFT agent. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) characterization confirmed the presence of unreacted vinyl groups within the obtained block copolymer nanoparticles, providing a landscape for further functionalization via thiol-ene chemistry. Finally, the obtained block copolymer nanoparticles were employed as additives to tune the mechanical properties of hydrogels. We expect that this study not only offers considerable opportunities for the preparation of well-defined cross-linked block copolymer nanoparticles, but also provides important insights into the controlled polymerization of multivinyl monomers.

Discovery and characterization of potent pan-variant SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies from individuals with Omicron breakthrough infection.

The SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant evades most currently approved neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) and caused drastic decrease of plasma neutralizing activity elicited by vaccination or prior infection, urging the need for the development of pan-variant antivirals. Breakthrough infection induces a hybrid immunological response with potentially broad, potent and durable protection against variants, therefore, convalescent plasma from breakthrough infection may provide a broadened repertoire for identifying elite nAbs. We performed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) and BCR sequencing (scBCR-seq) of B cells from BA.1 breakthrough-infected patients who received 2 or 3 previous doses of inactivated vaccine. Elite nAbs, mainly derived from the IGHV2-5 and IGHV3-66/53 germlines, showed potent neutralizing activity across Wuhan-Hu-1, Delta, Omicron sublineages BA.1 and BA.2 at picomolar NT50 values. Cryo-EM analysis revealed diverse modes of spike recognition and guides the design of cocktail therapy. A single injection of paired antibodies cocktail provided potent protection in the K18-hACE2 transgenic female mouse model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

SETD7 promotes lateral plate mesoderm formation by modulating the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

The role of SET domain containing 7 (SETD7) during human hematopoietic development remains elusive. Here, we found that deletion of SETD7 attenuated the generation of hematopoietic progenitor cells (HPCs) during the induction of hematopoietic differentiation from human embryonic stem cells (hESCs). Further analysis specified that SETD7 was required for lateral plate mesoderm (LPM) specification but dispensable for the generation of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and HPCs. Mechanistically, rather than depending on its histone methyltransferase activity, SETD7 interacted with ß-catenin at lysine residue 180 facilitated its degradation. Diminished SETD7 expression led to the accumulation of ß-catenin and the consequent activation of the Wnt signaling pathway, which altered LPM patterning and facilitated the production of paraxial mesoderm (PM). Taken together, the findings indicate that SETD7 is related to LPM and PM patterning via posttranslational regulation of the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway, providing novel insights into mesoderm specification during hematopoietic differentiation from hESCs.

Multi-omics blood atlas reveals unique features of immune and platelet responses to SARS-CoV-2 Omicron breakthrough infection.

Although host responses to the ancestral SARS-CoV-2 strain are well described, those to the new Omicron variants are less resolved. We profiled the clinical phenomes, transcriptomes, proteomes, metabolomes, and immune repertoires of >1,000 blood cell or plasma specimens from SARS-CoV-2 Omicron patients. Using in-depth integrated multi-omics, we dissected the host response dynamics during multiple disease phases to reveal the molecular and cellular landscapes in the blood. Specifically, we detected enhanced interferon-mediated antiviral signatures of platelets in Omicron-infected patients, and platelets preferentially formed widespread aggregates with leukocytes to modulate immune cell functions. In addition, patients who were re-tested positive for viral RNA showed marked reductions in B cell receptor clones, antibody generation, and neutralizing capacity against Omicron. Finally, we developed a machine learning model that accurately predicted the probability of re-positivity in Omicron patients. Our study may inspire a paradigm shift in studying systemic diseases and emerging public health concerns.

Excessive serine from the bone marrow microenvironment impairs megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis in Multiple Myeloma.

Thrombocytopenia is a major complication in a subset of patients with multiple myeloma (MM). However, little is known about its development and significance during MM. Here, we show thrombocytopenia is linked to poor prognosis in MM. In addition, we identify serine, which is released from MM cells into the bone marrow microenvironment, as a key metabolic factor that suppresses megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis. The impact of excessive serine on thrombocytopenia is mainly mediated through the suppression of megakaryocyte (MK) differentiation. Extrinsic serine is transported into MKs through SLC38A1 and downregulates SVIL via SAM-mediated tri-methylation of H3K9, ultimately leading to the impairment of megakaryopoiesis. Inhibition of serine utilization or treatment with TPO enhances megakaryopoiesis and thrombopoiesis and suppresses MM progression. Together, we identify serine as a key metabolic regulator of thrombocytopenia, unveil molecular mechanisms governing MM progression, and provide potential therapeutic strategies for treating MM patients by targeting thrombocytopenia.

Academic performance and depression in Chinese children: Same-domain and cross-domain effects in friendships.

This 1-year longitudinal study examined the effects of academic performance and depression in friendships among elementary school children in China. Participants included 1122 children (44% boys) within 561 stable friendship dyads initially in fourth and fifth grades (initial Mage  = 11 years). Data on academic performance, depression, and friendship were collected from multiple sources in the period of 2012 to 2014. Dyadic analysis using the actor-partner interdependence model showed that friends' academic performance significantly and positively predicted children's later academic performance, indicating same-domain effects, and significantly and negatively predicted children's later depression, indicating cross-domain effects, with a medium effect size (ε3  = .70) for the effects of academic performance. The results help understand the role of friendship in children's development in the Chinese context.

Aggression and Depression in Chinese Early Adolescents: Same-Domain and Cross-Domain Effects in Friendships.

From late childhood, friendships as a distinct peer experience become increasingly salient in affecting individual development. This one-year longitudinal study examined same-domain and cross-domain effects of aggression and depression in friendships among early adolescents in China. Participants included 226 students (95 boys) within 113 friendship dyads initially in sixth grade (initial mean age = 12 years) in two public junior high schools. Data on aggression, depression, and friendship were collected from self-reports and peer nominations in 2017 and 2018. The results using the actor-partner interdependence model showed that friends' aggression positively predicted adolescents' later aggression and that friends' depression positively predicted adolescents' later depression, indicating same-domain contagion effects. In addition, friends' aggression positively predicted adolescents' later depression, indicating cross-domain cascading effects. The results suggest that adolescents with more aggressive friends are at risk for developing higher levels of social-behavioral and psychological problems with time. The results help understand the role of friendships in individual maladaptive development and are discussed in terms of the Chinese context.

Enjoyment of Chinese and mathematics and school performance in Chinese children and adolescents.

This 2-year longitudinal study examined relations between enjoyment of learning in Chinese and mathematics, two major subjects in Chinese schools, and indexes of school performance. The participants included 1041 students (501 boys) initially in third, fifth, and seventh grades (mean age = 10.49 years) in China. Data on enjoyment of Chinese and mathematics were collected from students' self-reports and data on school performance were collected from multiple sources in 2017 and 2019. The results showed that enjoyment of mathematics positively predicted later academic achievement, self-perceptions of academic competence, teacher-rated school competence, and peer-assessed leadership-social competence. Enjoyment of Chinese negatively predicted later mathematics achievement and self-perceptions of academic competence and nonsignificantly predicted other school performance variables. The results were discussed in Chinese context.

Risk factors for CMV infection within 100 days posttransplantation in patients with acute leukemia.

To investigate the risk factors for cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection within 100 days and the relationship between early CMV infection and 1-year relapse for patients with acute leukemia following allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Methods: Three hundred fifty-nine patients with acute leukemia who received allo-HSCT at our center between January 2015 and January 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: Of 359 patients, 48.19% (173) patients experienced CMV infection within 100 days posttransplantation. In univariate and multivariate logistic analysis, haploidentical-related donor (HRD) (P < 0.001; odds ratio [OR], 5.542; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.186-9.639), and ratio of CD3+CD8+ cells in lymphocytes <14.825% (P < 0.001; OR, 3.005; 95% CI, 1.712-5.275) were identified as 2 independent risk factors. One-year relapse rate (RR) between the CMV infection group and the non-CMV infection group was not statistically significant (18.5% vs 19.9%, P = 0.688). When we divided the total cohort into AML, ALL, and MAL subgroups, there were no significant differences as well (P = 0.138; P = 0.588; P = 0.117; respectively). Conclusion: In conclusion, donor type (HRD) and the insufficient recovery of CD3+CD8+ cells were independent risk factors for CMV infection within 100 days posttransplantation in patients with acute leukemia. CMV infection within 100 days did not influence the incidence of relapse in 1 year for patients with acute leukemia.

Outcome of autologous stem cell transplantation in patients with favorable-risk acute myeloid leukemia in first remission.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (auto-HSCT) in patients with favorable-risk acute myeloid leukemia in first remission. METHOD: Twenty patients who received auto-HSCT at our center between January 2014 and January 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Until last follow-up, three patients in the cohort were dead due to relapse. The estimated 1-year and 5-year overall survival were 95.00% ± 4.87% and 83.82% ± 8.58%, respectively. The estimated 5-year RFS and CIR (cumulative incidence of relapse) were 85.00% ± 7.98% and 15.00% ±7.98%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The outcome of auto-HSCT in patients with favorable-risk acute myeloid leukemia in first remission was excellent and auto-HSCT could be an effective treatment for these patients.