Comparison of the Immune Responses to Different Formulations of BC02-Adjuvanted HPV Types 16 and 18 Bivalent Vaccines in Mice.

To achieve maximum efficacy, vaccines, such as subunit, recombinant, and conjugate vaccines, necessitate the incorporation of immunostimulators/adjuvants. Adjuvants play a vital role in bolstering and extending the strength of the immune response while also influencing its type. As antigen and adjuvant formulations become more intricate, it becomes imperative to establish a well-characterized and robust formulation to ensure consistent and reproducible outcomes in preclinical and clinical studies. In the present study, an HPV bivalent vaccine was developed using a BC02 adjuvant in conjunction with HPV 16 and 18 L1 VLP antigens produced from an E. coli expression system. The study involved evaluating the adjuvant formulation and in vivo immunogenicity in mice. Remarkably, a medium-dose of BCG-CpG-DNA combined with a low-dose of aluminum hydroxide substantially enhanced the immunogenicity of HPV16 and 18 VLPs, resulting in improved cellular and humoral immune responses.

Taxonomic revision of the genus Hemigyrus Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1893 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae).

Hemigyrus was established by Brunner von Wattenwyl in 1893. In this study, we collected samples from Chongqing, Guangxi, Hainan, Sichuan, Tibet and Yunnan of China, and reconstructed phylogenetic tree based on COI gene. The results supported the classification of dividing this genus into two subgenera: Tomomima and Hemigyrus. With larger size and evidently branched phylogenetic position, a new subspecies H. (T.) spinosus robustus subsp. nov. Xie, Wang He is described here. H. (H.) acutifolius is firstly reported from China. Males of H. (H.) amplus and H. (H.) acutifolius, females of H. (H.) minor are described for the first time. All materials were deposited in Biological History Museum of East China Normal University (ECNU) and the Shanghai Entomological Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SEM).

Taxonomy of genus Orophyllus Beier, 1954 (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Pseudophyllinae).

Only one species, Orophyllus montanus occurring in southern China is placed in Orophyllus. In this study, we studied samples from Hainan, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Sichuan and Zhejiang enabling us to provide new information on this genus. Gene tree was constructed by COI gene. The results showed that there were new taxa other than the type species, namely O. grandivalvatus sp. nov. (), O. nigrisartorius sp. nov. (), O. supeciliarilamellatus sp. nov. (), O. guttatus sp. nov. () All materials were deposited in Biological History Museum of East China Normal University (ECNU) and the Shanghai Entomological Museum, Chinese Academy of Sciences (SEM).

A new species of genus Hexacentrus Serville, 1831 from Taiwan (Orthoptera: Tettigoniidae: Hexacentrinae).

There are 29 species or subspecies in genus Hexacentrus occurring in Asia, Africa and Australia. Because of its similar appearance, it is not easy to distinguish them by traditional methods. In this study, we collected samples and sequenced COI genes from wide range. By reconstructing the gene tree, we found one new species, H. formosanus Chen et He sp. nov., from Taiwan. The new species is similar to H. expansus or H. inflatissimus, but differs from the former in male Cu2 vein of left tegmina curved and slender, and spectrum of male left tegmina slender and subsquare; differs from the later by body size smaller and female tegmina narrow and short. The type specimens are deposited in National Museum of Natural Science, Taichung, Taiwan (NMNS). H. japonicus hareyamai is treated as species level, H. hareyamai stat. nov.