The innate immunity DNA sensors have drawn much attention due to their significant importance against the infections with DNA viruses and intracellular bacteria. Among the multiple DNA sensors, ...IFI16, and cGAS are the two major ones, subjected to extensive studies. However, these two DNA sensors in livestock animals have not been well defined. Here, we studied the porcine IFI16 and cGAS, and their mutual relationship. We found that both enable STING-dependent signaling to downstream IFN upon DNA transfection and HSV-1 infection, and cGAS plays a major role in DNA signaling. In terms of their relationship, IFI16 appeared to interfere with cGAS signaling as deduced from both transfected and knockout cells. Mechanistically, IFI16 competitively binds with agonist DNA and signaling adaptor STING and thereby influences second messenger cGAMP production and downstream gene transcription. Furthermore, the HIN2 domain of porcine IFI16 harbored most of its activity and mediated cGAS inhibition. Thus, this study provides a unique insight into the porcine DNA sensing system.
The rapidly growing interest for nature-based recreational activities threaten biodiversity values and increases the disturbance caused to wildlife. Several studies have demonstrated spatial and ...temporal activity shifts of animals in response to human disturbance. However, most studies investigate effects on how animals use an area of high tourism disturbance, such as a tourist resort or hiking trail, and not the effects of human disturbance at a key site for the animal, such as a denning or breeding site. In this study, we use photos from remote camera monitoring of arctic fox (Vulpes lagopus) dens with the aim to investigate the effects of various levels of tourism disturbance on the diurnal activity pattern and vigilance of breeding adult arctic foxes at the den site. We find a temporal shift towards a higher daytime activity at the den in response to high intensity tourism (71 ± 3.9% in disturbed areas compared with 53 ± 6.2% in undisturbed areas), which stands in contrast to an increased nocturnality seen in studies of many other species, including another study of arctic foxes. We suggest that the difference could be explained by the higher cost of avoiding a key site for the animal, as in this study, compared with avoiding a more general human disturbance in an area within the distribution range of the animal, as in most other studies. Increased time spent avoiding the perceived threat of humans could compromise other important activities and have potential negative effects on e.g. hunting or provisioning for the juveniles. Human disturbance focused at a key site, such as a denning or breeding site, can thereby be expected to have larger consequences than what is observed in most studies of disturbance effects on wildlife. Based on observations of both tourists and arctic foxes during close encounters in an area of high intensity tourism, we also find that they both respond behaviorally to each other. The potential for positive or negative feedback mechanisms in such relationships between tourists and wildlife highlights the importance of considering both sides of the complex interaction to find a balance between preserving biodiversity and ensuring continued possibilities for recreation.
Supervised hashing has achieved better accuracy than unsupervised hashing in many practical applications owing to its use of semantic label information. However, the mutual relationship between ...semantic labels is always ignored when leveraging label information. In addition, the major challenge in learning hash is of handling the discrete constraints imposed on the hash codes, which typically transform the hash optimization into NP-hard problems. To address these issues, a form of supervised discrete hashing through learning mutual similarities is proposed. Different from the existing supervised hashing methods that learn hash codes from least-squares classification by regressing the hash codes to their corresponding labels, we leverage the mutual relation between different semantic labels to learn more stable hash codes. In addition, the proposed method can simultaneously learn the discrete hash codes for training samples and the projections between the original features and their corresponding hash codes for the out-of-sample cases. Experiments have beeen performed on two public datasets. The experimental results demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method.
Human-mouse comparative genomics is an informative tool to assess sequence functionality as inferred from its conservation level. We used this approach to examine dependency among different positions ...of the 5' splice site. We compiled a data set of 50,493 homologous human-mouse internal exons and analyzed the frequency of changes among different positions of homologous human-mouse 5' splice-site pairs. We found mutual relationships between positions +4 and +5, +5 and +6, -2 and +5, and -1 and +5. We also demonstrated the association between the exonic and the intronic positions of the 5' splice site, in which a stronger interaction of U1 snRNA and the intronic portion of the 5' splice site compensates for weak interaction of U1 snRNA and the exonic portion of the 5' splice site, and vice versa. By using an ex vivo system that mimics the effect of mutation in the 5' splice site leading to familial dysautonomia, we demonstrated that U1 snRNA base-pairing with positions +6 and -1 is the only functional requirement for mRNA splicing of this 5' splice site. Our findings indicate the importance of U1 snRNA base-pairing to the exonic portion of the 5' splice site.
To cope with the problem of the vast majority local stereo matching approaches that rely highly on the statistical characteristics of the image intensity, a novel non-parametric transform stereo ...matching method based on mutual relationship is proposed. The traditional non-parametric transform is investigated, and its limitations are analyzed. In order to take the pixels’ special location information into consideration during finding stereo correspondences, the original gray values of the neighborhood pixels whose relative position is one unit greater than that of the center pixel are replaced by the gray values interpolation of the four pixels surrounding it. Then the new non-parametric transform stereo matching is performed. The proposed approach is tested with both the standard image datasets and the images captured from realistic scenery. Experimental results are compared to those of intensity-based algorithms; the percentage of bad matching pixels is almost equivalent to the other examined algorithms, and the proposed algorithm exhibits robust behavior in realistic conditions.
In the recovery process following massive earthquakes in historical Italian cities, the housing construction and restoration of built heritage proceed with relationships that are established among ...diverse actors. However, much less work has been done on the established processes of governance protocol and research methods have not been accumulated. This study is aimed at determining the characteristics of the established processes of reconstruction governance (RG) in L'Aquila city following the 2009 Abruzzo earthquake in Italy. The research method was adopted from the text analysis and inter‐actor relationship mapping which was obtained in the previous study. Moreover, the mutual relationships between established RG processes and the implemented processes of the reconstruction project (RP) were identified based on the periodization of L’Aquila’s recovery process by combining two initiatives. The results thus obtained revealed that the existence of mutual relationships between the two processes resulted in a diversification of RG and an expansion of the RP domains and types in addition to a centralization of the RP domains. In conclusion, we recommend the diversification and continuous strengthening of RG in the recovery process, early establishment of an intermediary support organization, and public offering projects for expanding civic association participation.
This study aimed to identify the characteristics of the established processes of reconstruction governance (RG) at L’Aquila City following the 2009 Abruzzo Earthquake in Italy. Moreover, the mutual relationships between established RG processes and implemented processes of reconstruction project (RP) were identified.
Using a two-dimensional blocking index, the cause and effect relationship between European blocking （EB） events and North Atlantic Oscillation （NAO） events is investigated. It is shown that the EB ...event frequency is enhanced over Northern （Southern） Europe for negative （positive） phases of the NAO. Enhanced EB events over Northern Europe precede the establishment of negative phase NAO （NAO-） events, while the enhanced frequency of EB events over Southern Europe lags positive phase NAO （NAO＋） events. The physical explanation for why enhanced EB events over Northern （Southern） Europe lead （lag） NAO （NAO＋） events is also provided. It is found that the lead-lag relationship between EB events in different regions and the phase of NAO events can be explained in terms of the different latitudinal distribution of zonal wind associated with the different phases of NAO events. For NAO＋ events, the self-maintained eastward displacement of intensified midlatitude positive height anomalies owing to the intensified zonal wind can enhance the frequency of EB events over Southern Europe, thus supporting a standpoint that EB events over Southern Europe lag NAO＋ events. Over Northern Europe, EB events lead NAO- events because NAO- events arise from the self-maintained westward migration of intensified blocking anticyclones due to the weakened zonal wind in higher latitudes.
Urban rail transit becomes the important mean for developing urban economy, improving industrial structure and raising citizens’ living standard for its great social and economic effects. With the ...growth of economy, its role of boosting domestic demand and driving economic growth has been more obvious. And it will become the major impetus for fueling green GDP growth and promoting urban sustainable development. This paper, from the urban sustainable development point of view, analyzes the social property and economic property of urban rail transit, and points out the direct effect and indirect effect on economic development by the urban rail transit construction. And advices about urban rail transit construction have been put forward in this paper.
This study aimed to examine the attitudes and perceptions of 14 student volunteers in an international collaborative training program known as the Grassroots Overseas Non-Governmental Organization ...(NGO) Volunteer Activity Programme (GONGOVA). In the study, a morphological examination of the questionnaire results via KH-coder software was utilized for quantitative content analysis. Based on the results of the questionnaire, it was determined that some of the perceptions of volunteers in the program were transformed to being more open-minded, gaining an understanding of mutual relationships, and even reconsidering ideas of wealth. Additionally, these experiences prompted several of the participants to pursue language study, manage time more productively, and to more clearly consider their career objectives. Based on the results of the questionnaire, it was found that the experiences of participating in international volunteer activities was not limited to mere assistance to those in need; rather, it provided essential experiences that could help influence the participants'own lives and future.
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