FairBench: A Four-Stage Automatic Framework for Detecting Stereotypes and Biases in Large Language Models

Detecting stereotypes and biases in Large Language Models (LLMs) can enhance fairness and reduce adverse impacts on individuals or groups when these LLMs are applied. However, the majority of existing methods focus on measuring the model's preference towards sentences containing biases and stereotypes within datasets, which lacks interpretability and cannot detect implicit biases and stereotypes in the real world. To address this gap, this paper introduces a four-stage framework to directly evaluate stereotypes and biases in the generated content of LLMs, including direct inquiry testing, serial or adapted story testing, implicit association testing, and unknown situation testing. Additionally, the paper proposes multi-dimensional evaluation metrics and explainable zero-shot prompts for automated evaluation. Using the education sector as a case study, we constructed the Edu-FairBench based on the four-stage framework, which encompasses 12,632 open-ended questions covering nine sensitive factors and 26 educational scenarios. Experimental results reveal varying degrees of stereotypes and biases in five LLMs evaluated on Edu-FairBench. Moreover, the results of our proposed automated evaluation method have shown a high correlation with human annotations

Regulation of Two-Dimensional Lattice Deformation Recovery

The lattice directly determines the electronic structure, and it enables controllably tailoring the properties by deforming the lattices of two-dimensional (2D)materials. Owing to the unbalanced electrostatic equilibrium among the dislocated atoms, the deformed lattice is thermodynamically unstable and would recover to the initial state. Here, we demonstrate that the recovery of deformed 2D lattices could be directly regulated via doping metal donors to reconstruct electrostatic equilibrium. Compared with the methods that employed external force fields with intrinsic instability and nonuniformity, the stretched 2D molybdenum diselenide (MoSe2)could be uniformly retained and permanently preserved via doping metal atoms with more outermost electrons and smaller electronegativity than Mo. We believe that the proposed strategy could open up a new avenue in directly regulating the atomic-thickness lattice and promote its practical applications based on 2D crystals. © 2019 The Author(s

CT-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy as salvage therapy for local-regional recurrent breast cancer

BackgroundThe treatment of local–regional recurrent breast cancer (BC) after external beam radiotherapy is challenging. We aim to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of computed tomography (CT)–guided percutaneous iodine-125 brachytherapy for local recurrent BC.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 15 patients with local recurrent BC treated with CT-guided interstitial implantation of iodine-125 seeds. Regular contrast-enhanced CT was conducted to evaluate the tumor response. Follow-up survival, quality of life, and adverse events were analyzed.ResultsAmong the 15 patients, five were elderly patients (older than 80 years) and six were complicated with chronic underlying diseases. The median number of 125I seeds implantation was 33 (range: 20–130) with median dose 90 (D90, the minimum dose covering 90% of the target volume) of 108 Gy (range: 60–120 Gy). There was no significant difference in D90, V100 (the volume of the target receiving 100% of the prescription dose), and V150 (the volume of the target receiving 150% of the prescription dose) before and after operation (p > 0.05). The median follow-up was 14 months (range: 6–18 months). Six months after operation, the ORR was 66.7% (10/15) and the LCR was 93.3% (14/15). The 6- and 12-month survival rates were 100 and 41.6%, respectively, and the median survival time was 12.5 months. PS score decreased from 1.53 ± 0.81 to 0.53 ± 0.49. The pain score decreased from 2.87 ± 1.67 before operation to 1.07 ± 1.18 after operation, and the differences were statistically significant (p< 0.05). No severe complications occurred.ConclusionsCT-guided iodine-125 brachytherapy provided a safe and effective choice for recurrent BC with significant local therapeutic effects and minor complications, especially for elderly patients with chronic underlying disease and those who were not eligible for surgical resection and had failed to benefit from systemic therapy

Examining the U-shaped relationship of sleep duration and systolic blood pressure with risk of cardiovascular events using a novel recursive gradient scanning model

BackgroundObservational studies have suggested U-shaped relationships between sleep duration and systolic blood pressure (SBP) with risks of many cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), but the cut-points that separate high-risk and low-risk groups have not been confirmed. We aimed to examine the U-shaped relationships between sleep duration, SBP, and risks of CVDs and confirm the optimal cut-points for sleep duration and SBP.MethodsA retrospective analysis was conducted on NHANES 2007–2016 data, which included a nationally representative sample of participants. The maximum equal-odds ratio (OR) method was implemented to obtain optimal cut-points for each continuous independent variable. Then, a novel “recursive gradient scanning method” was introduced for discretizing multiple non-monotonic U-shaped independent variables. Finally, a multivariable logistic regression model was constructed to predict critical risk factors associated with CVDs after adjusting for potential confounders.ResultsA total of 26,691 participants (48.66% were male) were eligible for the current study with an average age of 49.43 ± 17.69 years. After adjusting for covariates, compared with an intermediate range of sleep duration (6.5–8.0 h per day) and SBP (95–120 mmHg), upper or lower values were associated with a higher risk of CVDs [adjusted OR (95% confidence interval) was 1.20 (1.04–1.40) for sleep duration and 1.17 (1.01–1.36) for SBP].ConclusionsThis study indicates U-shaped relationships between SBP, sleep duration, and risks of CVDs. Both short and long duration of sleep/higher and lower BP are predictors of cardiovascular outcomes. Estimated total sleep duration of 6.5–8.0 h per day/SBP of 95–120 mmHg is associated with lower risk of CVDs

Stress-Induced Epinephrine Enhances Lactate Dehydrogenase A and Promotes Breast Cancer Stem-Like Cells

Chronic stress triggers activation of the sympathetic nervous system and drives malignancy. Using an immunodeficient murine system, we showed that chronic stress–induced epinephrine promoted breast cancer stem-like properties via lactate dehydrogenase A–dependent (LDHA-dependent) metabolic rewiring. Chronic stress–induced epinephrine activated LDHA to generate lactate, and the adjusted pH directed USP28-mediated deubiquitination and stabilization of MYC. The SLUG promoter was then activated by MYC, which promoted development of breast cancer stem-like traits. Using a drug screen that targeted LDHA, we found that a chronic stress–induced cancer stem-like phenotype could be reversed by vitamin C. These findings demonstrated the critical importance of psychological factors in promoting stem-like properties in breast cancer cells. Thus, the LDHA-lowering agent vitamin C can be a potential approach for combating stress-associated breast cancer

Feature Extraction of the Brain’s Dynamic Complex Network Based on EEG and a Framework for Discrimination of Pediatric Epilepsy

Most of the current complex network studies about epilepsy used the electroencephalogram (EEG) to directly construct the static complex network for analysis and discarded the dynamic characteristics. This study constructed the dynamic complex network on EEG from pediatric epilepsy and pediatric control when they were asleep by the sliding window method. Dynamic features were extracted and incorporated into various machine learning classifiers to explore their classification performances. We compared these performances between the static and dynamic complex network. In the univariate analysis, the initially insignificant topological characteristics in the static complex network can be transformed to be significant in the dynamic complex network. Under most connectivity calculation methods between leads, the accuracy of using dynamic complex network features for discrimination was higher than that of static complex network features. Particularly in the imaginary part of the coherency function (iCOH) method under the full-frequency band, the discrimination accuracies of most machine learning classifiers were higher than 95%, and the discrimination accuracies in the higher-frequency band (beta-frequency band) and the full-frequency band were higher than that of the lower-frequency bands. Our proposed method and framework could efficiently summarize more time-varying features in the EEG and improve the accuracies of the discrimination of the machine learning classifiers more than using static complex network features

Three species of hackled-orb web spider genus Miagrammopes from China (Araneae, Uloboridae)

Liang, Yun, Cai, Qu, Liu, Jinxin, Yin, Haiqiang, Xu, Xiang (2021): Three species of hackled-orb web spider genus Miagrammopes from China (Araneae, Uloboridae). Zootaxa 5004 (4): 564-576, DOI: https://doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5004.4.

A Precise Simultaneous Sowed Control System for Maize Seed and Fertilizer

To improve the utilization rate of maize seed fertilizer, this study aimed to propose a precise co-sowing control system for the real-time control of the relative position of seed fertilizer during the co-sowing operation. According to the operating speed of the machine, the longitudinal distance between the seed feeder and the outer groove wheel, the height of the seed and fertilizer falling, and the relative position of the seed and fertilizer falling into the soil, the calculation method for the seed and fertilizer falling into the soil was obtained, the precise co-seeding model of the seed fertilizer was constructed, the control algorithm of the precise co-seeding of the seed fertilizer was designed, and the hardware system and software system were designed. Based on the hardware structure and working principle of the motor drive seeding and fertilization control system, a functional circuit based on the STM32F103ZET6 single-chip microcomputer (Zhengdianyuanzi (Guangzhou) Technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou, China) was built. When the system is working, the satellite speed measurement module collects the operating speed of the machine, the encoder feeds back the motor speed in real time, a Hall sensor detects the time interval between fertilizer and seed discharge at the point of discharge, and the PID algorithm is applied to make the speed regulation system regulate the motor speed and position and adjust the speed and position of the seed discharge tray and fertilizer on the outer slot wheel in real time. The relative position of seed and fertilizer in the soil can be controlled accurately in the process of sowing fertilizer. The test results showed that when the feed speed was 2, 3, and 4 km·h−1, and the grain spacing was 20, 25, and 30 cm, respectively, the seed fertilizer alignment was better and met the requirements of precise sowing, improving fertilizer utilization rate