nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Mindful attention to breath regulates emotions via increased amygdala–prefrontal cortex connectivity

Mindfulness practice is beneficial for emotion regulation; however, the neural mechanisms underlying this effect are poorly understood. The current study focuses on effects of attention-to-breath (ATB) as a basic mindfulness practice on aversive emotions at behavioral and brain levels. A key finding across different emotion regulation strategies is the modulation of amygdala and prefrontal activity. It is unclear how ATB relevant brain areas in the prefrontal cortex integrate with amygdala activation during emotional stimulation. We proposed that, during emotional stimulation, ATB down-regulates activation in the amygdala and increases its integration with prefrontal regions. To address this hypothesis, 26 healthy controls were trained in mindfulness-based attention-to-breath meditation for two weeks and then stimulated with aversive pictures during both attention-to-breath and passive viewing while undergoing fMRI. Data were controlled for breathing frequency. Results indicate that (1) ATB was effective in regulating aversive emotions. (2) Left dorso-medial prefrontal cortex was associated with ATB in general. (3) A fronto-parietal network was additionally recruited during emotional stimulation. (4) ATB down regulated amygdala activation and increased amygdala-prefrontal integration, with such increased integration being associated with mindfulness ability. Results suggest amygdala-dorsal prefrontal cortex integration as a potential neural pathway of emotion regulation by mindfulness practice.
A Modified Particle Swarm Optimizer Algorithm

This paper presented a modified particle swarm optimizer algorithm (MPSO). The aggregation degree of the particle swarm was introduced. The particles' diversity was improved through periodically monitoring aggregation degree of the particle swarm. On the later development of the PSO algorithm, it has been taken strategy of the Gaussian mutation to the best particle's position, which enhanced the particles' capacity to jump out of local minima. Several typical benchmark functions with different dimensions have been used for testing. The simulation results show that the proposed method improves the convergence precision and speed of PSO algorithm effectively.
FlexyFont: Learning Transferring Rules for Flexible Typeface Synthesis

Maintaining consistent styles across glyphs is an arduous task in typeface design. In this work we introduce FlexyFont, a flexible tool for synthesizing a complete typeface that has a consistent style with a given small set of glyphs. Motivated by a key fact that typeface designers often maintain a library of glyph parts to achieve a consistent typeface, we intend to learn part consistency between glyphs of different characters across typefaces. We take a part assembling approach by firstly decomposing the given glyphs into semantic parts and then assembling them according to learned sets of transferring rules to reconstruct the missing glyphs. To maintain style consistency, we represent the style of a font as a vector of pairwise part similarities. By learning a distribution over these feature vectors, we are able to predict the style of a novel typeface given only a few examples. We utilize a popular machine learning method as well as retrieval-based methods to quantitatively assess the performance of our feature vector, resulting in favorable results. We also present an intuitive interface that allows users to interactively create novel typefaces with ease. The synthesized fonts can be directly used in real-world design.
Stepping up of MCQs' quality through a multi-stage reviewing process.

Assessment is a crucial and complex process. Thus quality assurance of assessment Methods is essential when assessment is used for the purposes of certification.



To evaluate the effect of continuous well-structured process of the question bank revision, enlightened by item analysis, in improving the quality of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs).



The Family Medicine (FM) training certification exam for the Egyptian Board accredited for International Membership of the Royal College of General Practitioners (MRCGP[INT]).



The results of the item analysis of Applied Knowledge Tests (AKTs) of two academic years (2009, 2013) were included in the study. The AKT test consisted of two papers, each of 100 MCQS, and blue printed against the FM training curriculum. A total of 226 candidates sat for the two exams; 102 in 2009 and 124 in 2013.



There were more MCQs with moderate difficulty and higher discrimination in 2013. Significant improvement was found in the discrimination index (DI) values in 2013 (p < 0.001). and questions with a high facility and classified as easy decreased from 40.5 to 28.7%. The average number of functioning distractors per item increased from 1.99 in 2009 to 2.19 in 2013 (p = 0.015).



Revision of well-constructed MCQs on a regular basis, and in a structured manner, improved the quality of the MCQs and consequently improved the validity of the examination.
Surgical treatment of Denis type B thoracolumbar burst fracture with
neurological deficiency by paraspinal approach

We aimed to describe the surgical technique and clinical outcomes of paraspinal-approach reduction and fixation (PARF) in a group of patients with Denis type B thoracolumbar burst fracture (TLBF) with neurological deficiencies. A total of 62 patients with Denis B TLBF with neurological deficiencies were included in this study between January 2009 and December 2011. Clinical evaluations including the Frankel scale, pain visual analog scale (VAS) and radiological assessment (CT scans for fragment reduction and X-ray for the Cobb angle, adjacent superior and inferior intervertebral disc height, and vertebral canal diameter) were performed preoperatively and at 3 days, 6 months, and 1 and 2 years postoperatively. All patients underwent successful PARF, and were followed-up for at least 2 years. Average surgical time, blood loss and incision length were recorded. The sagittal vertebral canal diameter was significantly enlarged. The canal stenosis index was also improved. Kyphosis was corrected and remained at 8.6±1.4o (P>0.05) 1 year postoperatively. Adjacent disc heights remained constant. Average Frankel grades were significantly improved at the end of follow-up. All 62 patients were neurologically assessed. Pain scores decreased at 6 months postoperatively, compared to before surgery (P<0.05). PARF provided excellent reduction for traumatic segmental kyphosis, and resulted in significant spinal canal clearance, which restored and maintained the vertebral body height of patients with Denis B TLBF with neurological deficits.
Optimizing charging station locations for urban taxi providers

Electric vehicles are gaining importance and help to reduce dependency on oil, increase energy efficiency of transportation, reduce carbon emissions and noise, and avoid tail pipe emissions. Because of short driving distances, high mileages, and intermediate waiting times, fossil-fuelled taxi vehicles are ideal candidates for being replaced by battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Moreover, taxis as BEVs would increase visibility of electric mobility and therefore encourage others to purchase an electric vehicle. Prior to replacing conventional taxis with BEVs, a suitable charging infrastructure has to be established. This infrastructure, which is a prerequisite for the use of BEVs in practice, consists of a sufficiently dense network of charging stations taking into account the lower driving ranges of BEVs. In this case study we propose a decision support system for placing charging stations to satisfy the charging demand of electric taxi vehicles. Operational taxi data from about 800 vehicles is used to identify and estimate the charging demand for electric taxis based on frequent origins and destinations of trips. Next, a variant of the maximal covering location problem is formulated and solved, aiming at satisfying as much charging demand as possible with a limited number of charging stations. Already existing fast charging locations are considered in the optimization problem. In this work, we focus on finding regions in which charging stations should be placed, rather than exact locations. The exact location within an area is identified in a post-optimization phase (e.g., by authorities), where environmental conditions are considered, e.g., the capacity of the power network, availability of space, and legal issues. Our approach is implemented in the city of Vienna, Austria, in the course of an applied research project conducted in 2014. Local authorities, power network operators, representatives of taxi driver guilds as well as a radio taxi provider participated in the project and identified exact locations for charging stations based on our decision support system. ∗Corresponding author Email addresses: johannes.asamer@ait.ac.at (Johannes Asamer), martin.reinthaler@ait.ac.at (Martin Reinthaler), mario.ruthmair@univie.ac.at (Mario Ruthmair), markus.straub@ait.ac.at (Markus Straub), jakob.puchinger@centralesupelec.fr (Jakob Puchinger)  2015
COVER CROPS IN SUSTAINABLE FOOD PRODUCTION

Cover crops are important components of sustainable agricultural systems. They increase surface residue and aid in the reduction of soil erosion. They improve the structure and water-holding capacity of the soil and thus increase the effectiveness of applied N fertilizer. Legume cover crops such as hairy vetch and crimson clover fix nitrogen and contribute to the nitrogen requirements of subsequent crops. Cover crops can also suppress weeds, provide suitable habitat for beneficial predator insects, and act as non-host crops for nematodes and other pests in crop rotations. This paper reviews the agronomic and economic literature on using cover crops in sustainable food production and reports on past and present research on cover crops and sustainable agriculture at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Maryland. Previous studies suggested that the profitability of cover crops is primarily the result of enhanced crop yields rather than reduced input costs. The experiments at the Beltsville Agricultural Research Center on fresh-market tomato production showed that tomatoes grown with hairy vetch mulch were higher yielding and more profitable than those grown with black polyethylene and no mulch system. Previous studies of cover crops in grain production indicated that legume cover crops such as hairy vetch and crimson clover are more profitable than grass cover crops such as rye or wheat because of the ability of legumes to contribute N to the following crop. A com-
Decision Making Strategies for Finite-State Bi-automaton in Dialog Management

Stochastic regular bi-languages has been recently proposed to model the joint probability distributions appearing in some statistical approaches of Spoken Dialog Systems. To this end a deterministic and probabilistic finite state biautomaton was defined to model the distribution probabilities for the dialog model. In this work we propose and evaluate decision strategies over the defined probabilistic finite state bi-automaton to select the best system action at each step of the interaction. To this end the paper proposes some heuristic decision functions that consider both action probabilities learn from a corpus and number of known attributes at running time. We compare either heuristics based on a single next turn or based on entire paths over the automaton. Experimental evaluation was carried out to test the model and the strategies over the Let’s Go Bus Information system. The results obtained show good system performances. They also show that local decisions can lead to better system performances than best path-based decisions due to the unpredictability of the user behaviors.
A disturbance observer for robust position tracking control and ground contact detection of a Cheetaroid-I leg

Quadruped robot systems are being intensively investigated by as a new means of transportation systems with multi-purposes. As the operation conditions of such systems, such as a payload, gait speed, and so on, are demanding, the control of the robotic legs is challenging. In addition, the dynamics of such systems is subjected to large disturbances and parameter variations due to the ground contact and the complicated mechanical structure. In this paper, a robust control algorithm based on a disturbance observer (DOB) is proposed for the control of legs of a quadruped robot, Cheetaroid-I. The DOB enables rejecting disturbances caused by the ground contact, payload, etc, and detecting the ground contact without force sensors. The proposed method is verified by experimental results.
The Bitter Truth About Sugar and Willpower: The Limited Evidential Value of the Glucose Model of Ego Depletion.

The idea behind ego depletion is that willpower draws on a limited mental resource, so that engaging in an act of self-control impairs self-control in subsequent tasks. To present ego depletion as more than a convenient metaphor, some researchers have proposed that glucose is the limited resource that becomes depleted with self-control. However, there have been theoretical challenges to the proposed glucose mechanism, and the experiments that have tested it have found mixed results. We used a new meta-analytic tool, p-curve analysis, to examine the reliability of the evidence from these experiments. We found that the effect sizes reported in this literature are possibly influenced by publication or reporting bias and that, even within studies yielding significant results, the evidential value of this research is weak. In light of these results, and pending further evidence, researchers and policymakers should refrain from drawing any conclusions about the role of glucose in self-control.
A vertical jump force test for assessing bilateral strength asymmetry in athletes.

To establish the validity and reliability of a new vertical jump force test (VJFT) for the assessment of bilateral strength asymmetry in a total of 451 athletes.



The VJFT consists of countermovement jumps with both legs simultaneously: one on a single force platform, the other on a leveled wooden platform. Jumps with the right or the left leg on the force platform were alternated. Bilateral strength asymmetry was calculated as [(stronger leg - weaker leg)/stronger leg] x 100. A positive sign indicates a stronger right leg; a negative sign indicates a stronger left leg. Studies 1 (N = 59) and 2 (N = 41) examined the correlation between the VJFT and other tests of lower-limb bilateral strength asymmetry in male athletes. In study 3, VJFT reliability was assessed in 60 male athletes. In study 4, the effect of rehabilitation on bilateral strength asymmetry was examined in seven male and female athletes 8-12 wk after unilateral knee surgery. In study 5, normative data were determined in 313 male soccer players.



Significant correlations were found between VJFT and both the isokinetic leg extension test (r = 0.48; 95% confidence interval, 0.26-0.66) and the isometric leg press test (r = 0.83; 0.70-0.91). VJFT test-retest intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.91 (0.85-0.94), and typical error was 2.4%. The change in mean [-0.40% (-1.25 to 0.46%)] was not substantial. Rehabilitation decreased bilateral strength asymmetry (mean +/- SD) of the athletes recovering from unilateral knee surgery from 23 +/- 3 to 10 +/- 4% (P < 0.01). The range of normal bilateral strength asymmetry (2.5th to 97.5th percentiles) was -15 to 15%.



The assessment of bilateral strength asymmetry with the VJFT is valid and reliable, and it may be useful in sports medicine.
Safety Assessment of Talc as Used in Cosmetics.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Expert Panel (Panel) assessed the safety of talc for use in cosmetics. The safety of talc has been the subject of much debate through the years, partly because the relationship between talc and asbestos is commonly misunderstood. Industry specifications state that cosmetic-grade talc must contain no detectable fibrous, asbestos minerals. Therefore, the large amount of available animal and clinical data the Panel relied on in assessing the safety of talc only included those studies on talc that did not contain asbestos. The Panel concluded that talc is safe for use in cosmetics in the present practices of use and concentration (some cosmetic products are entirely composed of talc). Talc should not be applied to the skin when the epidermal barrier is missing or significantly disrupted.
The Internet and Adolescent Girls ’ Weight Satisfaction and Drive for Thinness

The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between media exposure and body image in adolescent girls, with a particular focus on the ‘new’ and as yet unstudied medium of the Internet. A sample of 156 Australian female high school students (mean age= 14.9 years) completed questionnaire measures of media consumption and body image. Internet appearance exposure and magazine reading, but not television exposure, were found to be correlated with greater internalization of thin ideals, appearance comparison, weight dissatisfaction, and drive for thinness. Regression analyses indicated that the effects of magazines and Internet exposure were mediated by internalization and appearance comparison. It was concluded that the Internet represents a powerful sociocultural influence on young women’s lives.
Antimicrobial Activity of Propolis on Oral Microorganisms

Formation of dental caries is caused by the colonization and accumulation of oral microorganisms and extracellular polysaccharides that are synthesized from sucrose by glucosyltransferase of Streptococcus mutans. The production of glucosyltransferase from oral microorganisms was attempted, and it was found that Streptococcus mutans produced highest activity of the enzyme. Ethanolic extracts of propolis (EEP) were examined whether EEP inhibit the enzyme activity and growth of the bacteria or not. All EEP from various regions in Brazil inhibited both glucosyltransferase activity and growth of S. mutans, but one of the propolis from Rio Grande do Sul (RS2) demonstrated the highest inhibition of the enzyme activity and growth of the bacteria. It was also found that propolis (RS2) contained the highest concentrations of pinocembrin and galangin.
Fordyce Spots

Fordyce spots, also known as Fordyce glands, are enlarged sebaceous glands. They lack an association with hair follicles and have ducts opening directly onto the cutaneous surface. Although these sebaceous glands are present at birth, they are not obvious until puberty when they enlarge in response to the gonadal and adrenal androgenic hormones. The prevalence in adults is 70 to 80%. The male to female ratio is approximately 2:1. Clinically, Fordyce spots appear as asymptomatic, isolated or scattered, minute, creamy yellow, discrete papules. They occur most commonly and most conspicuously on the vermilion lips and oral mucosa and, less commonly, on the penis, scrotum, and labia. The lesions are usually bilateral and symmetrical. Treatment is usually not necessary apart from reassurance about the benign nature of the condition. Various destructive modalities have been employed by dermatologists with some success. Correspondence to: Alexander K.C. Leung, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Calgary, Pediatric Consultant, Alberta Children’s Hospital, #200, 233-16th Avenue NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2M 0H5, Tel: (403) 230-3322, E-mail:
SIW periodic leaky wave antenna with improved H-plane radiation pattern using baffles

A conventional transverse slot substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) periodic leaky wave antenna (LWA) provides a fan beam, usually E-plane beam having narrow beam width and H-plane having wider beamwidth. The main beam direction changes with frequency sweep. In the applications requiring a pencil beam, an array of the antenna is generally used to decrease the H-plane beam width which requires long and tiring optimization steps. In this paper, it is shown that the H-plane beamwidth can be easily decreased by using two baffles with a conventional leaky wave antenna. A prototype periodic leaky wave antenna with baffles is designed and fabricated for X-band applications. The E- and H-plane 3 dB beam widths of the antenna at 10.5GHz are, respectively, 6° and 22°. Over the frequency range 8.2–14 GHz, the antenna scans from θ = −60° to θ = 15°, from backward to forward direction. The use of baffles also improves the gain of the antenna including broadside direction by approximately 4 dB.
An innovative embedded interposer carrier for high density interconnection

It is well known that 3DIC integration is the next generation semiconductor technology with the advantages of small form factor, high performance and low power consumption. However the device TSV process and design rules are not mature. Assembly the chips on top of the Si interposer is the current most desirable method to achieve the requirement of good performance. In this study, a new packaging concept, the Embedded Interposer Carrier (EIC) technology was developed. It aims to solve some of the problems facing current interposer assemble issues. It eliminates the joining process of silicon interposer to the laminate carrier substrate. The concept of EIC is to embed one or multiple interposer chips into the build-up dielectric layers in the laminated substrate. The process development of EIC structure is investigated in this paper. EIC technology not only can shrink an electronic package and system size but also provide a better electronic performance for high-bandwidth applications. EIC technology can be one of the potential solutions for 3D System-in-Package.
LS-VO: Learning Dense Optical Subspace for Robust Visual Odometry Estimation

This work proposes a novel deep network architecture to solve the camera ego-motion estimation problem. A motion estimation network generally learns features similar to optical flow (OF) fields starting from sequences of images. This OF can be described by a lower dimensional latent space. Previous research has shown how to find linear approximations of this space. We propose to use an autoencoder network to find a nonlinear representation of the OF manifold. In addition, we propose to learn the latent space jointly with the estimation task, so that the learned OF features become a more robust description of the OF input. We call this novel architecture latent space visual odometry (LS-VO). The experiments show that LS-VO achieves a considerable increase in performances with respect to baselines, while the number of parameters of the estimation network only slightly increases.
A compact planar 24GHz quasi-Yagi antenna for unmanned aerial vehicle radar applications

In this paper, a compact planar 24GHz quasi-Yagi antenna which uses a dipole driver is presented. The antenna is designed for unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV) radar which requires antenna's high integration and miniaturization. Quasi-Yagi antenna is a compact planar antenna suitable for millimeter-wave applications. In this work, a one-dimensional antenna array is used to meet the need for miniaturization. It not only dramatically reduces manufacturing cost but also eliminates the need for subsequent field failure control.
HAIR: HAptic feedback with a mobile AIR jet

Haptic devices are dedicated to render virtual tactile stimulation. A limitation of these devices is the intrusiveness of their mechanical structures, i.e. the user need to hold or wear the device to interact with the environment. Here, we propose a concept of new tactile device named HAIR. The device is composed of a computer vision system, a mechatronic device and air jets that stimulate the skin. We designed a first prototype and conducted a preliminary experiment to validate our concept. The interface enables a tactile interaction without using physical contact with material devices, providing better freedom of movement and enhancing the interaction transparency.