Action diversity in a simulation of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict

This article explores the strategies used by Israeli students to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the interactive computer game, PeaceMaker. Students played PeaceMaker in the roles of both the Israeli Prime Minister and the Palestinian President in random order. Students must take actions satisfying constituents on both sides of the conflict in order to win the game. The diversity of actions taken in each role was measured. Several hypotheses test the degree to which Israeli students, depending on which role they played and their own demographic variables, exploited a consistent set of actions or explored a more diverse range of actions across three main types: construction, political, and security. The results show that (1) greater action diversity increases success in both roles, (2) Israeli students engaged in less diverse actions when playing the Israeli role than when playing the Palestinian role, (3) students’ religiosity and political Hawkishness negatively predicted action diversity when playing the Palestinian role, and (4) action diversity mediates the relationship between a student’s background knowledge about the conflict and success in the Israeli role. The significance of these findings for understanding attitudes about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are discussed, including implications for conflict resolution more generally.     

Cognitive-Behavioral and Humanistic Group Treatment for Children With Learning Disabilities: A Comparison of Outcomes and Process.

The authors of this study examined the outcomes and processes of 2 types of group treatment--cognitive-behavioral treatment groups (CBTG) and humanistic group therapy (HGT)--offered to 200 elementary schoolchildren in a center for students with learning disabilities in Israel. Results indicated that the addition of either type of group treatment to individual academic assistance was more effective than the latter alone on most measures. In fact, on the majority of measures, group treatment without academic assistance was more effective than just individual assistance. Finally, HGT was more effective than CBTG on most measures. Most of the outcomes were sustained at follow-up, and some even increased from termination to follow-up, although effect sizes were quite low. Process measures included the Client Behavior System and the therapist Helping Skills System, which were measured at 5 points in time. Differences between the 2 treatment types were revealed on both process measures, including differences in the growth curve of these behaviors. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Electrostatic Control of Structure in Self‐Assembled Membranes

Self‐assembling peptide amphiphiles (PAs) can form hierarchically ordered membranes when brought in contact with aqueous polyelectrolytes of the opposite charge by rapidly creating a diffusion barrier composed of filamentous nanostructures parallel to the plane of the incipient membrane. Following this event, osmotic forces and charge complexation template nanofiber growth perpendicular to the plane of the membrane in a dynamic self‐assembly process. In this work, we show that this hierarchical structure requires massive interfacial aggregation of PA molecules, suggesting the importance of rapid diffusion barrier formation. Strong PA aggregation is induced here through the use of heparin‐binding PAs with heparin and also with polyelectrolytes of varying charge density. Small angle X‐ray scattering shows that in the case of weak PA‐polyelectrolyte interaction, membranes formed display a cubic phase ordering on the nanoscale that likely results from clusters of PA nanostructures surrounded by polyelectrolyte chains.     

Nanoparticles of CdCl2 with closed cage structures

Nanoparticles of various layered compounds having a closed cage or nanotubular structure, designated also inorganic fullerene-like (IF) materials, have been reported in the past. In this work IF-CdCl₂ nanoparticles were synthesized by two methods. In one technique, a high temperature evaporation and subsequent condensation of dried cadmium chloride powder was used. In the other method, electron beam irradiation of the source powder led to its recrystallization into closed nanoparticles with a nonhollow core. The two methods are shown to produce nanoparticles of different topologies. While mostly spherical nested structures are obtained from the high temperature process, polyhedra with hexagonal or elongated rectangular characters are obtained by the electron beam induced process. The analysis also shows that, while the source (dried) powder is orthorhombic cadmium chloride monohydrate, the crystallized IF cage consists of the anhydrous 3R polytype which is not stable as bulk material in ambient atmosphere. Consistent with previous observations, this study shows that the seamless structure of the IF materials can stabilize phases, which are otherwise unstable in ambient conditions.     

An Overview of Synergistic Data Tools for Biological Scrutiny

A network of biological databases is reviewed, supplying a framework for studies of human genes and the association of their genomic variations with human phenotypes. The network is composed of GeneCards, the human gene compendium, which provides comprehensive information on all known and predicted human genes, along with its suite members GeneDecks and GeneLoc. Two databases are shown that address genes and variations focusing on olfactory reception (HORDE) and transduction (GOSdb). In the realm of disease scrutiny, we portray MalaCards, a novel comprehensive database of human diseases and their annotations. Also shown is GeneKid, a tool aimed at generating novel kidney disease biomarkers using systems biology, as well as Xome, a database for whole-exome next-generation DNA sequences for human diseases in the Israeli population. Finally, we show LifeMap Discovery, a database of embryonic development, stem cell research and regenerative medicine, which links to both GeneCards and MalaCards.     

A Possible 2D H x WO3 Superconductor with a T c of 120 K

Magnetic susceptibility measurements of WO₃ crystals hydrogen doped on the surface suggest 2D local non-percolated superconductivity with an onset temperature of 120 K. Observed zero field cooled vs. field cooled magnetization response is characteristic of type II superconductivity. The diamagnetic response at the critical temperature is field dependent, and is suppressed by a magnetic field of ∼1700 Oe.     

Leading by example: The case of leader OCB.

The importance of leading by personal example or role modeling for effective leadership has been recognized in many leadership theories. However, leaders' ability to influence group behavior through exemplary behavior has received little attention in empirical work. This study explores leading by example through theoretical development and empirical testing of a moderated mediation model of the potential effects of leader organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). This model suggests that a leader's OCB may promote group OCB directly and indirectly by enhancing the group's belief that OCB is worthy. It also specifies the moderators of the direct and indirect effects of leader OCB on group OCB. Data from 683 members of 67 intact work groups, 67 group managers, and their supervisors support the hypothesized model. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)     

Friction and wear of fullerene-like WS<Subscript>2</Subscript> under severe contact conditions: friction of ceramic materials

Recently, the behavior of inorganic fullerene-like (IF) WS₂ nanoparticles in the interface of steel-on-steel pair has been analyzed. It was shown that originally when the gap between the contact surfaces is smaller than the size of the IF nanoparticles, there is no effect of the nanoparticles on the friction force. During the test stiff IF nanoparticles can plough the surface of hard steel samples and penetrate into the interface under friction. Molecular sheets of WS₂ from the delaminated IF nanoparticles, which reside in the valleys of the rough surfaces cover the contact spots and thus decrease the number of adhered spots at the transition to seizure. The goal of the present work was to study the behavior of IF nanoparticles in the interface of ceramic surfaces. The friction tests were performed using a ball-on-flat device. A silicon nitride ball was slid against an alumina flat with maximum contact pressure close to 2 GPa. SEM, TEM and AFM techniques have been used in order to assess the behavior of IF nanoparticles in the interface. The behavior of IF nanoparticles in the much harder ceramic interfaces was found to be appreciably different from the steel pair. The pristine IF nanoparticles are damaged in the inlet of the contact during the first few cycles and thin shells of broken nanoparticles gradually cover the middle range of the contact surface. Different modes of deformation and destruction of the IF nanoparticles are exhibited when going from the middle to edge area of the contact. While aggregates of the pristine nanoparticles are formed at the edge of the contact, thin shells of broken IF nanoparticles are observed in the middle area where contact pressure is maximum. Mechanical stability and damage of IF nanoparticles in the ceramic interface are discussed.     

Metal Ion‐Terpyridine‐Functionalized L‐Tyrosinamide Aptamers: Nucleoapzymes for Oxygen Insertion into C?H Bonds and the Transformation of L‐Tyrosinamide into Amidodopachrome

A series of metal ion‐terpyridine‐modified L‐tyrosinamide aptamers (M^{n +} = Cu²⁺ or Fe³⁺) act as enzyme‐mimicking catalysts (nucleoapzymes) for oxygen‐insertion into C? H bonds and the transformation of L‐tyrosinamide into amidodopachrome. The reaction proceeds in the presence of H₂O₂ and coadded L‐ascorbic acid. In one series of experiments, the catalyzed oxidation of L‐tyrosinamide to amidodopachrome by a set of nucleoapzymes consisting of Fe³⁺‐ or Cu²⁺‐terpyridine complexes tethered directly or through a 4 × thymidine (4 × T) bridge, to the 5′‐ or 3′‐end of the 49‐mer L‐tyrosinamide aptamer or to a shorter 23‐mer L‐tyrosinamide aptamer is examined. All nucleoapzymes reveal catalytic Michaelis–Menten enzyme‐like activities and the separated Fe³⁺‐ or Cu²⁺‐terpyridine and L‐tyrosinamide aptamer units show only minute catalytic properties. The catalytic activities of the nucleoapzymes are attributed to the concentration of the L‐tyrosinamide substrate by the aptamer units in proximity to the catalytic sites (K_d = (14 ± 0.1) × 10^?6 m for all 49‐mer catalysts and K_d = (2.5 ± 0.1) × 10^?6 m and K_d = (0.8 ± 0.04) × 10^?6 m for the 23‐mer catalysts). Electron spin resonance experiments reveal that ?OH radicals and ascorbate radicals participate in the transformation of tyrosine derivatives to catechol products. An autocatalytic feedback mechanism for the amplified generation of the two radicals is suggested.