On the Role of Pre-trained Language Models in Word Ordering: A Case Study with BART

Word ordering is a constrained language generation task taking unordered words as input. Existing work uses linear models and neural networks for the task, yet pre-trained language models have not been studied in word ordering, let alone why they help. We use BART as an instance and show its effectiveness in the task. To explain why BART helps word ordering, we extend analysis with probing and empirically identify that syntactic dependency knowledge in BART is a reliable explanation. We also report performance gains with BART in the related partial tree linearization task, which readily extends our analysis.Comment: COLING 202

Experiments and Models of Thermo-Induced Shape Memory Polymers

Recent advances in experiments and models of thermo-induced shape memory polymers (TSMPs) were reviewed. Some important visco-elastic and visco-plastic features, such as rate-dependent and temperature-dependent stress-strain curves and nonuniform temperature distribution were experimentally investigated, and the interaction between the mechanical deformation and the internal heat generation was discussed. The influences of loading rate and peak strain on the shape memory effect (SME) and shape memory degeneration of TSMPs were revealed under monotonic and cyclic thermo-mechanical loadings, respectively. Based on experimental observations, the capability of recent developed visco-elastic and visco-plastic models for predicting the SME was evaluated, and the thermo-mechanically coupled models were used to reasonably predict the thermo-mechanical responses of TSMPs

How broad is the selfing syndrome? Insights from convergent evolution of gene expression across species and tissues in the Capsella genus

The shift from outcrossing to selfing is one of the main evolutionary transitions in plants. It is accompanied by profound effects on reproductive traits, the so-called selfing syndrome. Because the transition to selfing also implies deep genomic and ecological changes, one also expects to observe a genomic selfing syndrome. We took advantage of the three independent transitions from outcrossing to selfing in the Capsella genus to characterize the overall impact of mating system change on RNA expression, in flowers but also in leaves and roots. We quantified the extent of both selfing and genomic syndromes, and tested whether changes in expression corresponded to adaptation to selfing or to relaxed selection on traits that were constrained in outcrossers. Mating system change affected gene expression in all three tissues but more so in flowers than in roots and leaves. Gene expression in selfing species tended to converge in flowers but diverged in the two other tissues. Hence, convergent adaptation to selfing dominates in flowers, whereas genetic drift plays a more important role in leaves and roots. The effect of mating system transition is not limited to reproductive tissues and corresponds to both adaptation to selfing and relaxed selection on previously constrained traits

Preparation and characterization of lotus seed starch-fatty acid complexes formed by microfluidization

peer-reviewedUsing dynamic high pressure microfluidization, we prepared starch-lipid complexes from lotus seed starch (LS) and six saturated fatty acids (FAs) of different carbon chain length and analyzed their semi-crystalline structure and digestibility. Iodine blue value analysis showed the highest complex index (86.3%) was observed between LS and octanoic acid (C8). X-ray diffraction analysis showed crystal structure changed from V6II to V6I type with decreasing FA chain length. Small angle x-ray scattering and differential scanning calorimetry analyses confirmed the presence of a strong V6I-type mass fractal structure with a Bragg distance of 12.3 nm in LS-C8, which can be considered to be a type-II complex with high melting temperature (Tp = 123.98 °C). Scanning electron microscopy results showed the complexes had more spherocrystals with decreasing FA chain length. Compared to other FAs, C8 significantly reduced the LS susceptibility to digestive enzymes, increased slowly digestion starch content (26.06%) and decreased digestion rate (3.59 × 10−2)