Endostatin enhances antitumor effect of tumor antigen-pulsed dendritic cell therapy in mouse xenograft model of lung carcinoma

Objective： To investigate the antitumor effect of endostatin combined with tumor antigen-pulsed dendritic cell （DC）-T cell therapy on lung cancer. Methods： Transplanted Lewis lung cancer （LLC） models of C57BL/6 mice were established by subcutaneous injection of LLC cells in left extremity axillary. Tumor antigen-pulsed DC-T cells from spleen cells and bone of mice were cultured in vitro. Tumor-bearing mice were randomly divided into three groups, including DC- T＋endostatin group, DC-T group, and phosphate-buffered saline （PBS） control group. Microvessel density （MVD） of tumor tissue in tumor-bearing mice was determined by immunohistochemistry （IHC）. The expressions of vascular endothelial growth factor （VEGF） and hypoxia-inducible factor-1α （HIF-1α） were determined by Western blotting and IHC staining. The proportions of CD8＋ T cells, mature dendritic cells （mDC）, tumor-associated macrophages [TAM （M1/M2）], and myeloid-derived suppressor cells （MDSC） in suspended cells of tumor tissue were determined by flow cytometry. The expressions of inter｜eukin （IL）-6, IL-10, IL-17, transforming growth factor-β（TGF-β） and interferon-γ （IFN-γ） in suspended cells of tumor tissue were detected by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay （ELISA）. Results： DC-T cells combined with endostatin remarkably suppressed tumor growth. MVD of mice in DC- T＋endostatin group was significantly lower than that of the control group and DC-T monotherapy group. The expressions of VEGF, IL-6 and IL-17 in tumors were markedly decreased, but IFN-γ, and HIF-1α increased after treating with DC-T cells combined with endostatin, compared to control group and DC-T group. In the DC- T＋endostatin group, the proportions of MDSC and TAM （M2 type） were significantly decreased, mDC and TAM （Nil type） were up-regulated, and CD8＋ T cells were recruited to infiltrate tumors, in contrast to PBS control and DC-T monotherapy. DC-T cells combined with endostatin potently reduced the expressions of IL-6, IL-10, TGF-β and IL-17 in tumor tissue, and enhanced the expression of IFN-γ. Conclusions： The study indicated the synergic antitumor effects between endostatin and tumor antigen-pulsed DC-T cells, which may be a prospective therapy strategy to achieve potent antitumor effects on lung cancer.

Description of a New Species of the Genus Brachytarsophrys Tian and Hu, 1983(Amphibia: Anura: Megophryidae) from Southern China Based on Molecular and Morphological Data

A new species, Brachytarsophrys popei sp. nov., is described based on a series of specimens collected from Mount Jinggang, Jiangxi Province, Taoyuandong Nature Reserve, Hunan Province and Nanling Nature Reserve, Guangdong Province, China. The new species can be easily distinguished from other known congeners by morphology, morphometrics and molecular data of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA gene. It is characterized by its relatively small size with 86.2 mm in snout-vent length in adult female and 70.7 mm-83.5 mm in males; vomerine teeth bearing on two markedly elevated ridges, which projecting behind far beyond the posterior level of the choanae, widely separated by a distance nearly 1.5 times length of one; margin of tongue de^ply notched behind; toes about one-third to two-thirds webbed in males, at most one-third webbed in female; the webs extending as a wide fringes along either side of toes; upper eyelid with tubercles, one of which is enlarged and becoming a remarkably prominent, bluntly conical light- yellow horn; black tiny nuptial spines on the dorsal surface of the first finger and second finger base, single vocal sac in males; gravid females bear pure yellowish oocytes; tadpoles with a transverse white stripe on ventral surface and two longitudinal white stripes along the sides of body. The new species represents the fifth known Brachytarsophrys species.

Taxonomy of the White-browed Shortwing(Brachypteryx montana)complex on mainland Asia and Taiwan:an integrative approach supports recognition of three instead of one species

Background: The White-browed Shortwing(Brachypteryx montana) is widespread from the central Himalayas to the southeast Chinese mainland and the island of Taiwan, the Philippines and Indonesia. Multiple subspecies are recognised, and several of these have recently been suggested to be treated as separate species based on differences in morphology and songs.Methods: We here analyse plumage, morphometrics, songs, two mitochondrial and two nuclear markers, and geographical distributions of the two mainland Asian taxa B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinensis and the Taiwan Residents B. m. goodfellowi.Results: We conclude that these differ congruently in morphology, songs and DNA. Male B. m. goodfellowi is the most divergent in plumage(sexually monomorphic, unlike the two others; male similar to female), and B. m. cruralis and B. m. sinensis differ in male plumage maturation. The song of B. m. cruralis is strongly divergent from the others, whereas the songs of B. m. sinensis and B. m. goodfellowi are more similar to each other. Brachypteryx m. sinensis and B. m. goodfellowi are sisters, with an estimated divergence time 4.1 million years ago(mya; 95% highest posterior distribution [HPD] 2.8–5.5 mya), and B. m. cruralis separated from these two 5.8 mya(95% HPD 4.1–7.5 mya). We also report notable range extensions of B. m. sinensis as well as sympatry between this taxon and B. m. cruralis in Sichuan Province, China. Brachypteryx m. montana from Java is found to be more closely related to Lesser Shortwing(B. leucophris) and Rusty-bellied Shortwing(B. hyperythra) than to the mainland Asian and Taiwan Residents taxa.Conclusion: Our data support a recent proposal to treat the three mainland Asian and Taiwan Residents taxa as three species, separate from B. montana sensu stricto: B. cruralis(central Himalayas to south central China and south Vietnam), B. sinensis(north central to southeastern part of China's Mainland) and B. goodfellowi(Taiwan Island).

Synergistic combination of Pd nanosheets and porous Bi(OH)_(3) boosts activity and durability for ethanol oxidation reaction

Highly active and durable Pd-based electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction(EOR)play a crucial role in the commercialization of direct ethanol fuel cells(DEFCs).However,the poisonous intermediates(especially adsorbed CO species(COad))formed during the EOR process can easily adsorb and block the active sites on Pd electrodes,which in turn limits the catalytic efficiency.Hence,we present a series of Pd-based composites with a strong coupling interface consisting of Pd nanosheets and amorphous Bi(OH)_(3)species.The incorporation of Bi(OH)3 can induce an electron-rich state adjacent to the Pd sites and effectively separate the Pd ensemble,leading to excellent CO tolerance.The optimal Pd-Bi(OH)_(3)NSs catalyst manifests a mass activity of 2.2 A·mgPd^(-1),which is 5.7 and 2.0 times higher than that of Pd NSs and commercial Pd/C catalyst,respectively.Further CO-stripping experiments and CO-DRIFTS tests confirm the excellent CO tolerance on Pd-Bi(OH)3 NSs electrode,leading to the enhanced EOR durability.

High performance work systems and corporate performance： the influence of entrepreneurial orientation and organizational learning

This study investigates the functioning mechanisms of how high performance work systems （HPWS） affect organizational performance. We propose that （HPWS） can positively affect organizational performance through the mediating role of entrepreneurial orientation. An organization with high performance work systems can perform better if it enjoys high level of organizational learning. We design and administer a survey questionnaire to high-level executives or founders of companies from manufacturing and service industries and receive 176 valid responses. The results of the empirical data indicate that the relationship between high performance work systems and corporate performance is more positive when organizational learning is stronger. Entrepreneurial orientation partially mediates the relationship between high performance work systems and organizational performance. This study opens new research avenues by extending and incorporating explanations and predictions of HPWS and entrepreneurial orientation, two areas that largely have been considered independently of each other. Implications for practice and directions for future research are provided.