Can Pretrained Language Models Derive Correct Semantics from Corrupt Subwords under Noise?

For Pretrained Language Models (PLMs), their susceptibility to noise has recently been linked to subword segmentation. However, it is unclear which aspects of segmentation affect their understanding. This study assesses the robustness of PLMs against various disrupted segmentation caused by noise. An evaluation framework for subword segmentation, named Contrastive Lexical Semantic (CoLeS) probe, is proposed. It provides a systematic categorization of segmentation corruption under noise and evaluation protocols by generating contrastive datasets with canonical-noisy word pairs. Experimental results indicate that PLMs are unable to accurately compute word meanings if the noise introduces completely different subwords, small subword fragments, or a large number of additional subwords, particularly when they are inserted within other subwords

A Survey on Out-of-Distribution Evaluation of Neural NLP Models

Adversarial robustness, domain generalization and dataset biases are three active lines of research contributing to out-of-distribution (OOD) evaluation on neural NLP models. However, a comprehensive, integrated discussion of the three research lines is still lacking in the literature. In this survey, we 1) compare the three lines of research under a unifying definition; 2) summarize the data-generating processes and evaluation protocols for each line of research; and 3) emphasize the challenges and opportunities for future work

Subclinical cardiac abnormalities in children with biliary atresia correlate with outcomes after liver transplantation

ObjectiveThere are subclinical cardiac abnormalities (SCA) in children with biliary atresia (BA). However, data on the consequences of these cardiac changes after liver transplantation (LT) remain controversial in the pediatric field. We aimed to determine the relationship between outcomes and the subclinical cardiac abnormalities in pediatric patients with BA based on two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) parameters.MethodsA total of 205 children with BA were enrolled in this study. The relationship between 2DE parameters and outcomes, including death and serious adverse events (SAE) after LT, was analyzed by regression analysis. Using receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curves to determine the optimal cut-off values of 2DE parameters for outcomes. Differences in the AUCs were compared using DeLong's test. The Kaplan -Meier method with log-rank testing was used to evaluate survival outcomes between groups.ResultsLeft ventricular mass index (LVMI) and relative wall thickness (RWT) were found to be independently associated with SAE (OR: 1.112, 95% CI: 1.061 − 1.165, P < 0.001 and OR: 1.193, 95% CI: 1.078 − 1.320, P = 0.001, respectively). The cutoff value of LVMI for predicting the SAE was 68 g/m2.7 (AUC = 0.833, 95% CI 0.727-0.940, P < 0.001), and the cutoff value of RWT for predicting the SAE was 0.41 (AUC = 0.732, 95% CI 0.641-0.823, P < 0.001). The presence of subclinical cardiac abnormalities (LVMI > 68 g/m2.7, and/or RWT > 0.41) was associated with lower patient survival (1-year, 90.5% vs 100.0%; 3-year, 89.7% vs 100.0, log-rank P = 0.001). and higher incidence of SAE events.ConclusionsSubclinical cardiac abnormalities were correlated with post-LT mortality and morbidity in children with BA. LVMI can predict the occurrence of death and serious adverse events after liver transplantation

Identity-Based Proxy Signcryption Protocol with Universal Composability

Proxy signcryption means that the proxy signcrypter obtains the delegate authorization from the original signcrypter and then signcrypts the specified message on behalf of the original signcrypter. In this paper, we construct an identity-based proxy signcryption protocol (IBPSP) based on the universally composable (UC) framework. In the random oracle model, we prove that this protocol has the semantic security under the gap bilinear Diffie-Hellman and computational Diffie-Hellman assumptions. At the same time, an ideal functionality of the identity-based proxy signcryption protocol is defined in the UC security framework, and we also prove the equivalence between the universally composable identity-based proxy signcryption protocol and its IND-CCA2 and UF-CMA security. Analysis shows this IBPSP has both low computation complexity and semantic security together with UC security

Optimization for removal efficiency of fluoride using La(iii)–Al(iii)-activated carbon modified by chemical route

A simple chemical route was adopted for the preparation of adsorbent to remove fluoride in the simulation solution. In this study, commercially activated carbon (CAC) was used as the raw material, HNO3 (20 wt%), La(NO3)3·2H2O (0.05 mol/L), and Al(NO3)3 (0.10 mol/L) were employed as modification reagents to successfully prepare the CAC adsorbent loaded with the elements La and Al (La(iii)–Al(iii)–CAC). The modified adsorbent was characterized by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. The effects of variables such as solution pH, adsorption time, initial concentrations, and volume of solution were investigated on adsorption efficiency by the response surface method (RSM). Under optimum conditions, specified as a pH value of 6, an adsorption time of 1.2 h, an initial concentration of 30 mg/L, a solution volume of 25 mL, and the value of RF can reach at 74.11%. From the RSM analysis, the pH value was a significant factor in the adsorption process and the order for these key factors was as follows: pH > adsorption time > solution volume. Meanwhile, there were interactions among these factors. Chemical modification had an important role in pore structure generation and functional group of adsorbent to improve the adsorption efficiency. The removal performance of adsorbent on simulation solution of fluoride also showed the feasibility of adsorbent to be applied in industrial purposes

Adsorption optimized of the coal-based material and application for cyanide wastewater treatment

Custom design of JMP software was used to optimize the iodine number of coal-based electrode materials. Taking the additive ratio (A), heating rate (B) and final pyrolysis temperature (C) into account and the significance sequence was C>B>A. Set the additive ratio as 0.2, the heating rate as 5°C/min and the final temperature as 900°C, the iodine number was improved to 403.14 mg·g-1, and the compressive strength was 2.01 MPa. Surface morphology of the coal-based electrode materials were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The functional group species were explored by Fourier infrared spectrophotometer (FTIR). Then applied the voltage of 4 V, coal-based adsorption materials were set as cathodes and anodes in a 3-dimensional electrode system with the commercial activated carbon as a particle electrode. After 5 h treatment for cyanide wastewater, the removal rate of most ions was achieved to 72% or more. It was the collaborative effect in the combined action of electro-adsorption and electrodeposition

Fabrication and Properties of the Multifunctional Rapid Wound Healing <i>Panax notoginseng</i>@Ag Electrospun Fiber Membrane

The Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell electrospun fiber membrane was prepared by coaxial electrospinning combined with the UV reduction method (254 nm). The prepared Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell nanofiber membrane has a three-dimensional structure, and its swelling ratio could reach as high as 199.87%. Traditional Chinese medicine Panax notoginseng can reduce inflammation, and the silver nanoparticles have antibacterial effects, which synergistically promote rapid wound healing. The developed Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell nanofiber membrane can effectively inhibit the growth of the Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli and the Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. The wound healing experiments in Sprague Dawley mice showed that the wound residual area rate of the Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell electrospun nanofiber membrane group was only 1.52% on day 9, and the wound of this group basically healed on day 12, while the wound residual area rate of the gauze treatment group (control group) was 16.3% and 10.80% on day 9 and day 12, respectively. The wound of the Panax notoginseng@Ag core/shell electrospun nanofiber membrane group healed faster, which contributed to the application of the nanofiber as Chinese medicine rapid wound healing dressings