Solving Math Word Problems by Combining Language Models With Symbolic Solvers

Automatically generating high-quality step-by-step solutions to math word problems has many applications in education. Recently, combining large language models (LLMs) with external tools to perform complex reasoning and calculation has emerged as a promising direction for solving math word problems, but prior approaches such as Program-Aided Language model (PAL) are biased towards simple procedural problems and less effective for problems that require declarative reasoning. We propose an approach that combines an LLM that can incrementally formalize word problems as a set of variables and equations with an external symbolic solver that can solve the equations. Our approach achieves comparable accuracy to the original PAL on the GSM8K benchmark of math word problems and outperforms PAL by an absolute 20% on ALGEBRA, a new dataset of more challenging word problems extracted from Algebra textbooks. Our work highlights the benefits of using declarative and incremental representations when interfacing with an external tool for solving complex math word problems. Our data and prompts are publicly available at https://github.com/joyheyueya/declarative-math-word-problem

The Supernatant Obtained from Cultured Anip973 Cells Enhances the Biological Activities of HUVEC

Background and objective Unlike normal tissue-derived microvascular endothelial cells, tumor microvessel endothelial cells are highly reactive to growth factors and exhibit more adhesion molecules. Thus, vascular tumors are highly permeable and grow vigorously; this occurrence results in rapid growth and metastasis cancer cells. Therefore, understanding the characteristics of endothelial cells in the tumor microenvironment guides anti-angiogenic therapy. To this end, we explore the effect of the supernatant obtained from cultured Anip973 cells (high-metastatic human lung adenocarcinoma cells) on the biological behavior and on the cell surface markers of the human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC). Methods The HUVEC that was cultured in a medium (RPMI-1640 + 10% fetal bovine serum) containing various concentrations of Anip973 supernatants was categorized into experimental groups. The HUVEC cultured in a medium without Anip973 supernatants served as the control group. Proliferation was determined with CCK-8; blood vessel formation was investigated with three-dimensional culture techniques in vitro; and HUVEC migration was observed via transwell assay. At the same time, the expressions of CD105, CD31, and the apoptotic marker of Annexin V were detected through flow cytometry for analyzing the relationship between the expression of cell surface markers and biological behavior. Results Following incubation with the supernatant obtained from cultured Anip973 cells, HUVEC proliferated more than the control group did, and the proliferation rate was maximized when incubated in a supernatant concentration of 250 μL/mL for 24 h (P=0.002). In addition, the experimental groups exhibited varying degrees of migration and forms of vascular lumen sample structure, especially at supernatant concentrations of 125 µL/mL (P<0.001) and 250 µL/mL (P=0.002), respectively. CD105 expression was optimized at 250 μL/mL (P=0.028), and CD31 expression also increased with an increase in concentration. However, the percentage of apoptotic cells decreased. Correlation analysis results showed that cell proliferation, migration, and CD105 expression were significantly and positively correlated with one another. By contrast, no significant correlation was detected between CD31 expression and biological behavior. Conclusion Anip973 supernatants can promote HUVEC proliferation and migration, as well as angiogenesis. In addition, cell surface markers can change concurrently and relatively. To a certain extent, changes in CD105 expression can be attributed to shifts in its biological behavior

Changes in Convective Precipitation Reflectivity over the CONUS Revealed by High-Resolution Radar Observations from 2015 to 2021

The change in extreme precipitation events in the conterminous United States (CONUS) has been of interest to the research communities in recent years for its intensification under environmental and climate change. Previous studies have not yet used sub-hourly precipitation observations to examine convective precipitation change over the CONUS. This study aims to fill the gap by examining convective precipitation, identified by radar reflectivity, in the CONUS using the state-of-the-art Multi-radar Multi-sensor data, operated at the NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, with an unprecedentedly high spatial (1 km) and temporal (2 min) resolutions. These high-resolution data are expected to better capture the precipitation peak and the precipitation pattern. The results showed that in CONUS, precipitation reflectivity increased both in magnitude and the number of convective days from 2015 to 2021. For example, in 2019, 60% of areas showed an increase in the magnitude of precipitation, and the average number of convective days over CONUS has increased by 19%. Changes in precipitation also vary by season and region. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring and understanding of the evolving pattern of extreme precipitation in the CONUS, especially at sub-hourly frequency, as it exposes significant impacts on various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, and human health

Barley FASCIATED EAR genes determine inflorescence meristem size and yield traits

In flowering plants, the inflorescence meristem (IM) provides founder cells to form successive floral meristems, which are precursors of fruits and seeds. The activity and developmental progression of IM are thus critical for yield production in seed crops. In some cereals, such as rice (Oryza sativa) and maize (Zea mays), the size of undifferentiated IM, which is located at the inflorescence apex, is positively associated with yield traits such as spikelet number. However, the relationship between IM size and yield-related spike traits remains unknown in the Triticeae tribe. Here we report that IM size has a negative correlation with yield traits in barley (Hordeum vulgare). Three FASCIATED EAR (FEA) orthologs, HvFEA2, HvFEA3, and HvFEA4, regulate IM size and spike morphogenesis and ultimately affect yield traits. Three HvFEAs genes are highly expressed in developing spikes, and all three loss-of-function mutants exhibit enlarged IM size, shortened spikes, and reduced spikelet number, which may lead to reduced grain yield. Natural variations identified in HvFEAs indicate selection events during barley domestication. We further reveal that HvFEA4, as a transcription factor, potentially targets multiple pathways during reproductive development, including transcriptional control, phytohormone signaling, and redox status. The roles of barley FEA genes in limiting IM size and promoting spikelet formation suggest the potential of increasing yield by manipulating IM activity