基于联合学习的问答情感分类方法

面向问答型评论的情感分类在情感分析领域是一项新颖且极具挑战性的研究任务。由于问答型评论情感分类标注数据非常匮乏,基于监督学习的情感分类方法的性能有一定限制。为了解决上述困境,该文提出了一种基于联合学习的问答情感分类方法。该方法通过大量自然标注普通评论辅助问答情感分类任务,将问答情感分类作为主任务,将普通评论情感分类作为辅助任务。具体而言,首先通过主任务模型单独学习问答型评论的情感信息;其次,使用问答型评论和普通评论共同训练辅助任务模型,以获取问答型评论的辅助情感信息;最后通过联合学习同时学习和更新主任务模型及辅助任务模型的参数。实验结果表明,基于联合学习的问答情感分类方法能较好融合问答型评论和普通评论的情感信息,大幅提升问答情感分类任务的性能。     

Lithium Tin Sulfide—a High‐Refractive‐Index 2D Material for Humidity‐Responsive Photonic Crystals

Extending the portfolio of novel stimuli‐responsive, high‐refractive‐index (RI) materials besides titania is key to improve the optical quality and sensing performance of existing photonic devices. Herein, lithium tin sulfide (LTS) nanosheets are introduced as a novel solution processable ultrahigh RI material (n = 2.50), which can be casted into homogeneous thin films using wet‐chemical deposition methods. Owing to its 2D morphology, thin films of LTS nanosheets are able to swell in response to changes of relative humidity. Integration of LTS nanosheets into Bragg stacks (BSs) based on TiO₂, SiO₂, nanoparticles or H₃Sb₃P₂O₁₄ nanosheets affords multilayer systems with high optical quality at an extremely low device thickness of below 1 µm. Owing to the ultrahigh RI of LTS nanosheets and the high transparency of the thin films, BSs based on porous titania as the low‐RI material are realized for the first time, showing potential application in light‐managing devices. Moreover, the highest RI contrast ever realized in BSs based on SiO₂ and LTS nanosheets is reported. Finally, exceptional swelling capability of an all‐nanosheet BS based on LTS and H₃Sb₃P₂O₁₄ nanosheets is demonstrated, which bodes well for a new generation of humidity sensors with extremely high sensitivity.     

Release of liposome-encapsulated calcein from liposome entrapping gelatin-carboxymethylcellulose films: a presentation of different possibilities

Liposome entrapment in films consisting of gelatin (GEL) or GEL/sodium carboxymethylcellulose (NaCMC) mixtures, as a method to alter drug release kinetics from polymeric films and/or incorporate sensitive bioactive molecules in solid films, was investigated. Bulk or thin complex (liposome trapping) films were formed by crosslinking (with glutaraldehyde) solutions of GEL or GEL/NaCMC in presence of calcein-encapsulating or rhodamine-labeled liposomes (Rho-Lip). Rho-Lip were observed by confocal microscopy to be homogenously distributed in the films. Calcein release from films was evaluated for periods up to 25 d, and it was found that several possibilities, concerning the release of the liposome-encapsulated molecule from the films, are offered; (i) Release can be sustained, if large liposomes are entrapped in the films. In this case the liposome-encapsulated molecules are released from the films only after they have been released from the vesicles, and the release can be controlled by modifying the film composition, the network density and/or the film geometry. (ii) Intact small unilamellar liposomes (SUV) can be released from the polymeric films depending on their swelling degree. The later can be controlled by modulating the film composition and amount of crosslinker. Film composition also affects the integrity of the film-entrapped liposomes during the crosslinking process, possibly due its effect on the density of the polymeric network of the film.     

Protective coatings on extensible biofibres

Formulating effective coatings for use in nano- and biotechnology poses considerable technical challenges. If they are to provide abrasion resistance, coatings must be hard and adhere well to the underlying substrate. High hardness, however, comes at the expense of extensibility. This property trade-off makes the design of coatings for even moderately compliant substrates problematic, because substrate deformation easily exceeds the strain limit of the coating. Although the highest strain capacity of synthetic fibre coatings is less than 10%, deformable coatings are ubiquitous in biological systems. With an eye to heeding the lessons of nature, the cuticular coatings of byssal threads from two species of marine mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Perna canaliculus, have been investigated. Consistent with their function to protect collagenous fibres in the byssal-thread core, these coatings show hardness and stiffness comparable to those of engineering plastics and yet are surprisingly extensible; the tensile failure strain of P. canaliculus cuticle is about 30% and that of M. galloprovincialis is a remarkable 70%. The difference in extensibility is attributable to the presence of deformable microphase-separated granules within the cuticle of M. galloprovincialis. The results have important implications in the design of bio-inspired extensible coatings.     

Liking of food textures and its relationship with oral physiological parameters and mouth-behavior groups

Researchers have categorized people into four “mouth-behavior” groups based on their oral processing preferences, and claimed that members of those mouth-behavior groups differ in their food texture preferences. If people could be classified into groups based on their liking of different textures, food products could be targeted to specific subgroups, potentially enhancing consumer acceptability. In the first part of our study, we grouped people based on their liking ratings of a wide variety of food textures by asking 288 participants to rate their liking of 106 food texture attributes in an online survey. In the second part of our study, we further examined relationships among individuals' food texture liking ratings, mouth-behavior group membership, and measurements of four oral physiological parameters (saliva flow rate, chewing efficiency, biting force, and particle size sensitivity). One-hundred participants completed the online survey on food texture liking, classified themselves into one of four mouth-behavior groups (Chewers, Crunchers, Smooshers, and Suckers), and were measured for four oral physiological parameters. We refuted the idea that large texture-liking subgroups exist. Although our participants self-categorized themselves into the four mouth-behavior groups similarly to previous researchers, our texture liking measurements did not support the presumed preferences of those mouth-behavior groups. Clustering of participants on their oral physiological measurements produced a “low particle-size sensitivity” cluster, a “high biting force” cluster, a “high saliva flow rate” cluster, and a “low saliva flow and low chewing efficiency” cluster. Neither our texture liking nor our oral physiological measurements predicted membership in the four mouth-behavior groups.     

Salt-Sensitive Hypertension in GR+/− Rats Is Accompanied with Dysregulation in Adrenal Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Pathways

Mutations within the glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene locus lead to glucocorticoid resistance which is characterized by several clinical symptoms such as adrenal gland hyperplasia and salt-sensitive hypertension, although the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. We studied GR haploinsufficient (GR^+/−) Sprague Dawley rats which, on a standard diet, showed significantly increased plasma aldosterone and corticosterone levels and an adrenocortex hyperplasia accompanied by a normal systolic blood pressure. Following a high salt diet, these rats developed salt-sensitive hypertension and maintained elevated enzyme-soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) in adrenal glands, while sEH was significantly decreased in wild-type rats. Furthermore, GR^+/− rats showed dysregulation of the equilibrated linoleic and arachidonic acid pathways, with a significant increase of less active metabolites such as 8,9-DiHETrE. In Sprague Dawley rats, GR haploinsufficiency induced steroid disturbances, which provoked hypertension only in combination with high salt intake, which was accompanied by disturbances in sEH and fatty acid metabolism. Our results suggest that sEH inhibition could be a potential target to treat hypertension in patients with GR haploinsufficiency.     

PPAR-Gamma Activation May Inhibit the In Vivo Degeneration of Bioprosthetic Aortic and Aortic Valve Grafts under Diabetic Conditions

Background: We aimed to examine the anti-calcification and anti-inflammatory effects of pioglitazone as a PPAR-gamma agonist on bioprosthetic-valve-bearing aortic grafts in a rat model of diabetes mellitus (DM). Methods: DM was induced in male Wistar rats by high-fat diet with an intraperitoneal streptozotocin (STZ) injection. The experimental group received additional pioglitazone, and controls received normal chow without STZ (n = 20 each group). Cryopreserved aortic donor grafts including the aortic valve were analyzed after 4 weeks and 12 weeks in vivo for analysis of calcific bioprosthetic degeneration. Results: DM led to a significant media proliferation at 4 weeks. The additional administration of pioglitazone significantly increased circulating adiponectin levels and significantly reduced media thickness at 4 and 12 weeks, respectively (p = 0.0002 and p = 0.0107, respectively). Graft media calcification was highly significantly inhibited by pioglitazone after 12 weeks (p = 0.0079). Gene-expression analysis revealed a significant reduction in relevant chondro-osteogenic markers osteopontin and RUNX-2 by pioglitazone at 4 weeks. Conclusions: Under diabetic conditions, pioglitazone leads to elevated circulating levels of adiponectin and to an inhibition of bioprosthetic graft degeneration, including lower expression of chondro-osteogenic genes, decreased media proliferation, and inhibited graft calcification in a small-animal model of DM.     

Localisation of Amylose and Amylopectin in Starch Granules Using Enzyme-Gold Labelling

The independent localisation of amylose and amylopectin in a range of dry and hydrated native starch granules with varying amylose content (0—70 %) has been indirectly visualised using enzyme-gold cytochemical markers. Increasing amylose content was clearly demonstrated to result in distinct changes in granule architecture. In the absence of amylose (waxy maize starch) a framework of closely packed concentric layers of amylopectin exists in the granules. Low amylose content (potato starch) results in alternating layers of densely packed amylopectin and amylose molecules. High amylose content (amylomaize starch) granules were shown to possess an amylopectin centre surrounded by an amylose periphery encapsulated by an amylopectin surface. Elongated granules without the amylopectin centre were also observed in high amylose starches suggesting a relationship between amylopectin, amylose and granule shape. A model of starch granule architecture is proposed where increased compartmentalisation of amylose and amylopectin is observed in granules containing increasing levels of amylose.