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merdeng

Academic Paper Finder

by Wenxiang Meng · GitHub ↗ · v1.0.0 · MIT-0
cross-platform ✓ Security Clean
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Install in OpenClaw
/install academic-paper-finder
Description
Search biomedical literature, get citation counts, and import to Zotero/EndNote. Use when: (1) User asks to search for papers/literature by DOI, title, autho...
README (SKILL.md)

Academic Paper Finder

Search PubMed and import papers to Zotero or generate RIS file for EndNote.

Setup

Requires environment variables:

Quick Start

1. Search Paper by DOI

python3 scripts/pubmed_search.py --doi "10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.013"

2. Search by Title

python3 scripts/pubmed_search.py --title "circulating tumor cell clusters"

3. Search by Author

python3 scripts/pubmed_search.py --author "Aceto N" --year 2014

4. Add to Zotero

# By PMID
python3 scripts/zotero_add.py --pmid 25171411

# By DOI
python3 scripts/zotero_add.py --doi "10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.013"

5. Batch Import (Multiple PMIDs)

python3 scripts/batch_import.py --pmids "25171411,30728496,41212905"

6. Generate RIS for EndNote

python3 scripts/generate_ris.py --pmids "25171411,30728496" --output literature.ris

Scripts

  • pubmed_search.py - Search PubMed by DOI/title/author
  • zotero_add.py - Add paper to Zotero by PMID/DOI
  • batch_import.py - Batch add multiple papers
  • generate_ris.py - Generate RIS file for EndNote

Examples

Get PMID from Citation

When user provides a citation like:

Aceto, N.; Bardia, A.; Miyamoto, D. T.; Donaldson, M. C.; Wittner, B. S.; Spencer, J. A.; Yu, M.; Pely, A.; Ting, K.; Haber, D. A.; Maheswaran, S. Circulating Tumor Cell Clusters Are Oligoclonal Precursors of Breast Cancer Metastasis. Cell 2014, 158 (5), 1110–1122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.013.
  1. Extract DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.013
  2. Search: python3 scripts/pubmed_search.py --doi "10.1016/j.cell.2014.07.013"
  3. Result: PMID 25171411
  4. Add to Zotero: python3 scripts/zotero_add.py --pmid 25171411

Batch Import for EndNote

User has multiple papers and wants to import to EndNote:

# List all PMIDs
python3 scripts/generate_ris.py --pmids "25171411,30728496,41212905,41651843,19945376" --output my_papers.ris

Then import the RIS file to EndNote: File → Import → Select .ris file.

Usage Guidance
This skill is coherent with its stated purpose, but review these practical points before installing or running it: (1) You must supply a Zotero API key — only provide a key with the minimum scopes needed (preferably a personal key limited to your library). (2) The scripts call NCBI eutils and OpenAlex APIs; be mindful of rate limits and avoid bulk runs without delays. (3) The code parses PubMed XML with regex (fragile but not malicious) — occasionally some records may not parse correctly. (4) Because the scripts perform network requests and write files, run them in an environment you trust; do not expose your Zotero API key to shared or untrusted machines. (5) If you want extra assurance, inspect the included scripts locally or run them with test PMIDs and a throwaway Zotero account before granting access to your primary library.
Capability Analysis
Type: OpenClaw Skill Name: academic-paper-finder Version: 1.0.0 The academic-paper-finder skill bundle is a legitimate tool for searching PubMed and managing citations. The scripts (pubmed_search.py, zotero_add.py, batch_import.py, and generate_ris.py) use standard Python libraries to interact with official APIs from NCBI (PubMed), OpenAlex, and Zotero. While it handles sensitive environment variables like ZOTERO_API_KEY, they are only transmitted to the official Zotero API endpoint (api.zotero.org), and there is no evidence of data exfiltration, malicious execution, or prompt injection.
Capability Assessment
✓ Purpose & Capability
Name/description match the included scripts: pubmed_search.py (search + citations via OpenAlex), zotero_add.py and batch_import.py (Zotero interactions), and generate_ris.py (RIS output). The only required secrets (ZOTERO_API_KEY and ZOTERO_USER_ID) are appropriate for Zotero writes.
✓ Instruction Scope
SKILL.md tells the agent to run the included scripts and to set Zotero env vars. The scripts only access PubMed (NCBI eutils), OpenAlex, and Zotero APIs, and write local RIS files; they do not reference unrelated system files, other credentials, or unknown remote endpoints.
✓ Install Mechanism
No install spec is present (instruction-only with bundled scripts). No download-from-URL or package installs are used, so nothing is pulled from external arbitrary URLs at install time.
✓ Credentials
Only ZOTERO_API_KEY and ZOTERO_USER_ID are required for Zotero interactions, which is proportional to the stated functionality. No unrelated secrets or config paths are requested.
✓ Persistence & Privilege
The skill does not request always:true and does not attempt to modify other skills or system-wide config. It performs normal network requests and local file writing (RIS exports) within scope.
How to Use
  1. Make sure OpenClaw is installed (local or Docker)
  2. Run the install command in chat: /install academic-paper-finder
  3. After installation, invoke the skill by name or use /academic-paper-finder
  4. Provide required inputs per the skill's parameter spec and get structured output
Version History
v1.0.0
Initial release
Metadata
Slug academic-paper-finder
Version 1.0.0
License MIT-0
All-time Installs 0
Active Installs 0
Total Versions 1
Frequently Asked Questions

What is Academic Paper Finder?

Search biomedical literature, get citation counts, and import to Zotero/EndNote. Use when: (1) User asks to search for papers/literature by DOI, title, autho... It is an AI Agent Skill for Claude Code / OpenClaw, with 239 downloads so far.

How do I install Academic Paper Finder?

Run "/install academic-paper-finder" in the OpenClaw or Claude Code chat to install it in one step — no extra setup required.

Is Academic Paper Finder free?

Yes, Academic Paper Finder is completely free, licensed under MIT-0. You can download, install and use it at no cost.

Which platforms does Academic Paper Finder support?

Academic Paper Finder is cross-platform and runs anywhere OpenClaw / Claude Code is available (cross-platform).

Who created Academic Paper Finder?

It is built and maintained by Wenxiang Meng (@merdeng); the current version is v1.0.0.

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