LLukas22/scidocs huggingface dataset:
An underground explorer robot based on peristaltic crawling of earthworms

Purpose – An earthworm moves by peristaltic crawling which brings a large surface into contact during motions and requires less space than other mechanisms. A peristaltic crawling is suitable for moving in excavated space by an anterior (front) of a robot. Therefore, a peristaltic crawling robot is useful for an underground explorer. The purpose of this paper is to develop a peristaltic crawling robot with several parallel links and compare with motion of an actual earthworm. Then we had some experiments on a plane surface and in a tube, and in vertical perforated dirt. Design/methodology/approach – The proposed robot, which consists of several parallel mechanisms, has four units for being controlled in 3-DOF. A unit expands in a radial direction when it contracts to increase the friction between the unit and surroundings. Dustproof covering is attached for preventing dirt from getting inside units. Locomotion mechanism is as the same as an actual earthworm’s peristaltic crawling. The robot makes an anterior unit contract, and then the contraction propagates towards the posterior (rear). Therefore, it requires no more space than that of an excavation part on the front of the robot. Findings – It was found that three units of robot consists of several parallel mechanisms had wide range of manipulation; four units of robot moves with peristaltic crawling compared with motion of an actual earthworm. It was confirmed that the robot could turn on a plane surface and move upward and downward in a vertical pipe. Finally, the robot could move in vertical perforated dirt faster than in a pipe. Originality/value – The robot is designed with several parallel links and equipped with dustproof covering. The locomotion of an actual earthworm is videotaped and analysed for comparing with the analysed movements of the robot. It was confirmed the robot could move with peristaltic crawling and turn on a plane surface. In addition, it was confirmed that some experiments were done in a narrow pipe and in vertical perforated dirt.
A Speeded up Robust Scale-Invariant Feature Transform Currency Recognition Algorithm

Abstract—All currencies around the world look very different from each other. For instance, the size, color, and pattern of the paper are different. With the development of modern banking services, automatic methods for paper currency recognition become important in many applications like vending machines. One of the currency recognition architecture’s phases is Feature detection and description. There are many algorithms that are used for this phase, but they still have some disadvantages. This paper proposes a feature detection algorithm, which merges the advantages given in the current SIFT and SURF algorithms, which we call, Speeded up Robust ScaleInvariant Feature Transform (SR-SIFT) algorithm. Our proposed SRSIFT algorithm overcomes the problems of both the SIFT and SURF algorithms. The proposed algorithm aims to speed up the SIFT feature detection algorithm and keep it robust. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed SR-SIFT algorithm decreases the average response time, especially in small and minimum number of best key points, increases the distribution of the number of best key points on the surface of the currency. Furthermore, the proposed algorithm increases the accuracy of the true best point distribution inside the currency edge than the other two algorithms.
Alternative Representations for Algebraic Problem Solving: When Are Graphs Better than Equations?.

Successful algebraic problem solving entails adaptability of solution methods using different representations. Prior research has suggested that students are more likely to prefer symbolic solution methods (equations) over graphical ones, even when graphical methods should be more efficient. However, this research has not tested how representation format might affect solution success, and whether the efficiency of solution varies depending on the nature of the problem solving task. This study addressed the question of whether symbolic or graphical representation format provides different affordances with respect to two different types of problems: computation and interpretation. Graphical representation was found to facilitate problem solving among college students, and problems that required the comparison of slopes were more difficult when presented in a symbolic format than in graphical format. Correspondence: Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Marta K. Mielicki, via email to mmieli2@uic.edu.
Signal and power integrity design of 2.5D HBM (High bandwidth memory module) on SI interposer

Spurred by the industrial demands for terabyte/s bandwidth graphics module, high bandwidth memory (HBM) has been emerged to overcome the limitations of conventional DRAMs. Additionally, due to the fine pitch and high density interconnect routing between GPU and 4 HBMs in 2.5D terabyte/s bandwidth graphics module, HBM interposer has also been to the force. However, several signal integrity issues of the HBM interposer occur due to the manufacturing process constraints. In this paper, we design the HBM interposer using 6 layers redistribution layer (RDL) and TSVs in 2.5D terabyte/s bandwidth graphics module. And then, in the designed HBM interposer, electrical performance of the HBM interposer channels using M1, M3, and M5 layer is analyzed by simulation in the frequency-and time-domain. With the simulation results, it is observed that the designed HBM interposer shows good signal integrity.
A comprehensive model for code readability

Unreadable code could compromise program comprehension and it could cause the introduction of bugs. Code consists of mostly natural language text, both in identifiers and comments, and it is a particular form of text. Nevertheless, the models proposed to estimate code readability take into account only structural aspects and visual nuances of source code, such as line length and alignment of characters. In this paper we extend our previous work in which we use textual features to improve code readability models. We introduce two new textual features and we reassess the readability prediction power of readability models on more than 600 code snippets manually evaluated, in terms of readability, by 5K+ people. We also replicate a study by Buse and Weimer on the correlation between readability and FindBugs warnings, evaluating different models on 20 software systems, for a total of 3M lines of code. The results demonstrate that (i) textual features complement other features, and (ii) a model containing all the features, achieves a significantly higher accuracy as compared to all the other state-of-the-art models. Also, readability estimation resulting from a more accurate model, i.e., the combined model, is able to predict more accurately FindBugs warnings. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Performance evaluation of a specific IgE assay developed for the ADVIA centaur immunoassay system.

OBJECTIVE
To develop and evaluate a liquid phase immunoassay for accurate determination of allergen-specific IgE (sIgE) as a useful tool in the diagnosis of allergy patients.


DESIGN AND METHODS
A fully automated, quantitative sIgE assay was developed for the ADVIA Centaur technology platform using a unique calibration method based on a recombinant reference allergen. Compared to most other IgE-assays, the assay employs a reverse sandwich architecture using monoclonal mouse anti-human IgE antibody covalently bound to paramagnetic particles in the solid phase and capturing the sample IgE. Bound sIgE reacts with liquid biotin-labeled allergen, which is detected as chemiluminescence using acridiniumester-labeled streptavidin.


RESULTS
The ADVIA Centaur sIgE assay (Centaur assay) has exclusive reactivity to human IgE and performs with excellent linearity in the assay range 0.35-100 kU/L and high precision (imprecision within-run <2.6%, between-run <4.9%, and total imprecision <7.1%). The analytical sensitivity is <0.10 kU/L. Using Pharmacia CAP system FEIA (CAP) as a comparative method, positive/negative concordance was 94% at 0.35 kU/L cut-off, and the Centaur assay has a sensitivity of 90% and a specificity of 98%. Validation of the assay in a general population sample (The Copenhagen allergy study) revealed that sIgE was highly associated with a clinical diagnosis of inhalation allergy.


CONCLUSIONS
The Centaur assay is an allergen-specific assay for measurement of IgE without interference from other types of immunoglobulins or nonspecific IgE. The assay performs with a linear reaction, high assay range, and good reproducibility. The assay correlates well with the CAP system and is in agreement with clinical diagnosis.
Quantum computing for beginners

The paper introduces the basic concepts and principles behind quantum computing and examines in detail Shor’s quantum algorithm for factoring very large numbers. Some basic methodological principles and guidelines for constructing quantum algorithms are stated. The aim is not to provide a formal exposition of quantum computing but to identify its novelty and potential use in tackling NP-hard problems.
Properties and Microstructures of Sn-Bi-X Lead-Free Solders

The Sn-Bi base lead-free solders are proposed as one of the most popular alloys due to the low melting temperature (eutectic point: 139C) and low cost. However, they are not widely used because of the lower wettability, fatigue resistance, and elongation compared to traditional Sn-Pb solders. So the alloying is considered as an effective way to improve the properties of Sn-Bi solders with the addition of elements (Al, Cu, Zn, Ga, Ag, In, Sb, and rare earth) and nanoparticles. In this paper, the development of Sn-Bi leadfree solders bearing elements and nanoparticles was reviewed.The variation of wettability, melting characteristic, electromigration, mechanical properties, microstructures, intermetallic compounds reaction, and creep behaviorswas analyzed systematically, which can provide a reference for investigation of Sn-Bi base solders.
Secure attachment and eudaimonic well-being in late adulthood: The mediating role of self-compassion.

OBJECTIVES
Attachment style refers to a systematic pattern of emotions, behaviors, and expectations that people have for how others will respond in relationships. Extensive evidence has documented the importance of attachment security in infants, children, adolescents, and adults, but the effects of attachment among exclusively older adult populations have received less attention. The present study explored the relationships between attachment style in late adulthood and eudaimonic well-being, which refers to a life replete with meaning, productive activity, and striving to reach one's potential. It also explored the mediating role of self-compassion, which can be described as a kind and forgiving attitude toward the self.


METHOD
A sample of 126 community-dwelling older adults (mean age = 70.40 years) completed measures tapping adult attachment, self-compassion, and six theoretically derived markers of eudaimonic well-being.


RESULTS
Attachment anxiety and avoidance were inversely related to self-acceptance, personal growth, interpersonal relationship quality, purpose in life, and environmental mastery. Mediation analyses showed that self-compassion mediated each of these relationships.


CONCLUSION
Results support the importance of attachment orientation for psychological well-being in late life and indicate that secure attachment facilitates an attitude of kindness and acceptance toward the self.
A computational approach towards conflict resolution for serious games

Conflict is an unavoidable feature of life, but the development of conflict resolution management skills can facilitate the parties involved in resolving their conflicts in a positive manner. The goal of our research is to develop a serious game in which children may experiment with conflict resolution strategies and learn how to work towards positive conflict outcomes. While serious games related to conflict exist at present, our work represents the first attempt to teach conflict resolution skills through a game in a manner informed by sociological and psychological theories of conflict and current best practice for conflict resolution. In this paper, we present a computational approach to conflict generation and resolution. We describe the five phases involved in our conflict modeling process: conflict situation creation, conflict detection, player modeling and conflict strategy prediction, conflict management, and conflict resolution, and discuss the three major elements of our player model: assertiveness, cooperativeness, and relationship. Finally, we overview a simple resource management game we have developed in which we have begun experimenting with our conflict model concepts.
One-class support vector machines - an application in machine fault detection and classification

Fast incipient machine fault diagnosis is becoming one of the key requirements for economical and optimal process operation management. Artificial neural networks have been used to detect machine faults for a number of years and shown to be highly successful in this application area. This paper presents a novel test technique for machine fault detection and classification in electro-mechanical machinery from vibration measurements using one-class support vector machines (SVMs). In order to evaluate one-class SVMs, this paper examines the performance of the proposed method by comparing it with that of multilayer perception, one of the artificial neural network techniques, based on real benchmarking data. q 2005 Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Mining Social Networks: Uncovering Interaction Patterns in Business Processes

Increasingly information systems log historic information in a systematic way. Workflow management systems, but also ERP, CRM, SCM, and B2B systems often provide a so-called “event log”, i.e., a log recording the execution of activities. Unfortunately, the information in these event logs is rarely used to analyze the underlying processes. Process mining aims at improving this by providing techniques and tools for discovering process, control, data, organizational, and social structures from event logs. This paper focuses on the mining social networks. This is possible because event logs typically record information about the users executing the activities recorded in the log. To do this we combine concepts from workflow management and social network analysis. This paper introduces the approach, defines metrics, and presents a tool to mine social networks
Prostatic soy isoflavone concentrations exceed serum levels after dietary supplementation.

BACKGROUND
The effects of soy isoflavones on prostate cancer may be concentration-dependent. The impact of soy supplementation on isoflavone concentrations in prostate tissues and serum remain unclear.


OBJECTIVE
To assess and compare concentrations of soy isoflavones in prostate tissue and serum among 19 men with prostate cancer who had elected to undergo radical prostatectomy.


METHODS
Participants were randomized to receive either daily soy supplements (82 mg/day aglycone equivalents) or placebos for 2 weeks (14 days) prior to surgery. Serum samples were obtained at the time of the surgery. Isoflavone concentrations were measured by HPLC/ESI-MS-MS.


RESULTS
The median (25th, 75th percentile) total isoflavone concentration in the isoflavone-supplemented group was 2.3 micromol/L (1.2, 6.9) in the prostate tissue and 0.7 micromol/L (0.2, 1.2) in the serum. Total isoflavone concentrations in this group were an average of approximately 6-fold higher in prostate tissue compared to serum; the tissue versus serum ratio was significantly lower for genistein than daidzein, 4-fold versus 10-fold, P = 0.003. Tissue and serum levels of isoflavones among the placebo group were negligible with a few exceptions.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings from the present study suggest that prostate tissue may have the ability to concentrate dietary soy isoflavones to potentially anti-carcinogenic levels.
Handwritten Character Recognition Using Gray-scale Based State-Space Parameters and Class Modular NN

We present a novel feature extraction method for offline recognition of segmented Malayalam handwritten characters from their gray-scale images without the usual step of binarization. We investigate a new approach to model handwritten characters using state-space map (SSM) and state-space point distribution (SSPD) parameters. In the recognition stage we used class modular neural network with the proposed SSPD features and this method is found to be promising.
Characterization of clustered microcalcifications in digitized mammograms using neural networks and support vector machines

OBJECTIVE
Detection and characterization of microcalcification clusters in mammograms is vital in daily clinical practice. The scope of this work is to present a novel computer-based automated method for the characterization of microcalcification clusters in digitized mammograms.


METHODS AND MATERIAL
The proposed method has been implemented in three stages: (a) the cluster detection stage to identify clusters of microcalcifications, (b) the feature extraction stage to compute the important features of each cluster and (c) the classification stage, which provides with the final characterization. In the classification stage, a rule-based system, an artificial neural network (ANN) and a support vector machine (SVM) have been implemented and evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The proposed method was evaluated using the Nijmegen and Mammographic Image Analysis Society (MIAS) mammographic databases. The original feature set was enhanced by the addition of four rule-based features.


RESULTS AND CONCLUSIONS
In the case of Nijmegen dataset, the performance of the SVM was Az=0.79 and 0.77 for the original and enhanced feature set, respectively, while for the MIAS dataset the corresponding characterization scores were Az=0.81 and 0.80. Utilizing neural network classification methodology, the corresponding performance for the Nijmegen dataset was Az=0.70 and 0.76 while for the MIAS dataset it was Az=0.73 and 0.78. Although the obtained high classification performance can be successfully applied to microcalcification clusters characterization, further studies must be carried out for the clinical evaluation of the system using larger datasets. The use of additional features originating either from the image itself (such as cluster location and orientation) or from the patient data may further improve the diagnostic value of the system.
Tapered slot antenna for UWB applications

Tapered slot antennas are a class of traveling wave antenna having promising application due to their wide bandwidth and symmetric radiation patterns. This paper discusses the characteristics of a tapered slot antenna in antipodal configuration and printed with elliptically shaped radiators. Simulation and experimental studies show good radiation and impedance characteristics and its usefulness for pulsed application.
Importance of Fat Conservation in Lower Blepharoplasty

The author describes her experience in over 200 cases operated on from 1993 to 1996 with the lower blepharoplasty with arcus marginalis release and fat conservation as described by Hamra [Plast Reconstr Surg 96:354, 1995; Clin Plast Surg 23:17, 1996]. The overall satisfaction with the somewhat modified technique led the author to abandon completely the conventional type of fat resection. The technique has been used in different clinical situations. The anatomical basis, the technique, and the complications are discussed.
Subscapularis motor point block for spastic shoulders in patients with cervical cord injury

Study design: Case series.Objectve: The objective was to study the effect of phenol blocks to the motor points of the subscapularis muscle in patients with cervical cord injury (CCI).Setting: Spinal cord injury units of a national hospital in Tokyo.Methods: The participants were seven patients with traumatic CCI, mean age 55.8 years (SD4.0), whose injury level were at the fifth cervical level and the American Spinal Injury Association (ASIA) impairment scale was A in 2, C in 1 and D in 4. They were at least 5 months post-acute injury, and complained of pain and limited range of motion (ROM) of their shoulder joint that were unresponsive to usual rehabilitative interventions and medications. Before and after the phenol block to the motor points of the subscapularis muscle, we compared passive and active ROM of the shoulder (flexion, abduction and external rotation), spasticity of the subscapularis as assessed with the modified Ashworth scale, pain as evaluated with a visual analog scale, and eating item of the Functional Independence Measure.Results: There were significant improvements in passive ROM in flexion (23.7°), abduction (19.4°) and external rotation (16.8°; P<0.05). Visual analog scale for shoulder pain was reduced from 6.0 to 3.4 (P<0.05). The modified Ashworth scale for shoulder spasticity, however, did not significantly change. The eating Functional Independence Measure item score improved significantly (P<0.05).Conclusions: This study suggests that subscapularis motor point block for pain and limited ROM with spastic shoulder is a useful technique in patients with CCI.
Data Cleaning: Problems and Current Approaches.

We classify data quality problems that are addressed by data cleaning and provide an overview of the main solution approaches. Data cleaning is especially required when integrating heterogeneous data sources and should be addressed together with schema-related data transformations. In data warehouses, data cleaning is a major part of the so-called ETL process. We also discuss current tool support for data cleaning.
The mirror mechanism: a basic principle of brain function

The mirror mechanism is a basic brain mechanism that transforms sensory representations of others' behaviour into one's own motor or visceromotor representations concerning that behaviour. According to its location in the brain, it may fulfil a range of cognitive functions, including action and emotion understanding. In each case, it may enable a route to knowledge of others' behaviour, which mainly depends on one's own motor or visceromotor representations.
Exercise training intervention after coronary angioplasty: the ETICA trial.

OBJECTIVES
The goal of this study was to determine the effects of exercise training (ET) on functional capacity and quality of life (QOL) in patients who received percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty (PTCA) or coronary stenting (CS), the effects on the restenosis rate and the outcome.


BACKGROUND
It is unknown whether ET induces beneficial effects after coronary angioplasty.


METHODS
We studied 118 consecutive patients with coronary artery disease (mean age 57+/-10 years) who underwent PTCA or CS on one (69%) or two (31%) native epicardial coronary arteries. Patients were randomized into two matched groups. Group T (n = 59) was exercised three times a week for six months at 60% of peak VO2. Group C (n = 59) was the control group.


RESULTS
Only trained patients had significant improvements in peak VO2 (26%, p < 0.001) and quality of life (26.8%, p = 0.001 vs. C). The angiographic restenosis rate was unaffected by ET (T: 29%; C: 33%, P = NS) and was not significantly different after PTCA or CS. However, residual diameter stenosis was lower in trained patients (-29.7%, p = 0.045). In patients with angiographic restenosis, thallium uptake improved only in group T (19%; p < 0.001). During the follow-up (33+/-7 months) trained patients had a significantly lower event rate than controls (11.9 vs. 32.2%, RR: 0.71, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.60 to 0.91, p = 0.008) and a lower rate of hospital readmission (18.6 vs. 46%, RR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.55 to 0.93, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Moderate ET improves functional capacity and QOL after PTCA or CS. During the follow-up, trained patients had fewer events and a lower hospital readmission rate than controls, despite an unchanged restenosis rate.