Machine learning uncovers the most robust self-report predictors of relationship quality across 43 longitudinal couples studies.

Given the powerful implications of relationship quality for health and well-being, a central mission of relationship science is explaining why some romantic relationships thrive more than others. This large-scale project used machine learning (i.e.

Our Fragile Relationships: Relationship Threat and Its Effect on the Allure of Alternative Mates.

Long-term romantic commitments may offer many benefits. It is thus unsurprising that people employ strategies that help protect their relationships against the allure of alternative partners. The present research focused on the circumstances under which these strategies are less effective.

Observation of directional storybook reading influences young children's counting direction.

Even before formal schooling, children map numbers onto space in a directional manner. The origin of this preliterate spatial-numerical association is still debated. We investigated the role of enculturation for shaping the directionality of the association between numbers and space, focusing on counting behavior in 3- to 5-year-old preliterate children.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy on external perturbations inducing secondary structure changes of hemoglobin.

The secondary structure of proteins and their conformation are intimately related to their biological functions. In this study, heat-induced changes in the secondary structure and conformation of hemoglobin were investigated via infrared attenuated total reflection (IR-ATR) spectroscopy. The secondary structure changes of hemoglobin were derived from IR-ATR spectra using second derivatives and curve fitting.

High-sensitivity infrared attenuated total reflectance sensors for in situ multicomponent detection of volatile organic compounds in water.

In situ detection of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in aqueous environments is imperative for ensuring the quality and safety of water supplies, yet it remains a challenging analytical task. We present a high-sensitivity method for in situ analysis of multicomponent VOCs at low concentrations based on the use of infrared attenuated total reflection (IR-ATR) spectroscopy. This protocol uses a unique ATR waveguide, which comprises a planar silver halide (AgCl(x)Br(1-x)) fiber with cylindrical extensions at both ends to increase the number of internal reflections, and a polymer coating that traps VOCs and excludes water molecules.

Spectroscopic detectability of the molecular Aharonov-Bohm effect.

It is theoretically shown that the emission spectra from an excited Jahn-Teller state in which the ions undergo a forced periodic trajectory have an M-shaped form, directly due to the sign change by the Berry-phase factor. The presence of a weak spectral sideline is noted and the effects of a nonlinear vibronic coupling are calculated. Experimental verifications of the results, e.

Sugarcoated isolation: evidence that social avoidance is linked to higher basal glucose levels and higher consumption of glucose.

Objective: The human brain adjusts its level of effort in coping with various life stressors as a partial function of perceived access to social resources. We examined whether people who avoid social ties maintain a higher fasting basal level of glucose in their bloodstream and consume more sugar-rich food, reflecting strategies to draw more on personal resources when threatened.

Methods: In Study 1 (N = 60), we obtained fasting blood glucose and adult attachment orientations data.

Methylphenidate mediated change in prosody is specific to the performance of a cognitive task in female adult ADHD patients.

Objectives: Prosody production is highly personalized, related to both the emotional and cognitive state of the speaker and to the task being performed. Fundamental frequency (F main) is a central measurable feature of prosody, associated with having an attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). Since methylphenidate is an effective therapy for ADHD, we hypothesized that it will affect the fundamental frequency of ADHD patients.

Physiological and cognitive military related performances after 10-kilometer march.

Background: Prior operational activities such as marching in diverse environments, with heavy backloads may cause early fatigue and reduce the unit's readiness. The purpose of this preliminary study was to evaluate the effect of 10-kilometer (km) march on selected, military oriented, physiological and cognitive performances. Eight healthy young males (age 25 ± 3 years) performed a series of cognitive and physiological tests, first without any prior physiological strain and then after a 10 km march in comfort laboratory conditions (24°C, 50%RH) consisting a 5 km/h speed and 2-6% incline with backload weighing 30% of their body weight.

Triplet superconductivity in 3D Dirac semi-metal due to exchange interaction.

Conventional phonon-electron interaction induces either triplet or one of two (degenerate) singlet pairing states in time reversal and inversion invariant 3D Dirac semi-metal. Investigation of the order parameters and energies of these states at zero temperature in a wide range of values of chemical potential μ, the effective electron-electron coupling constant λ and Debye energy TD demonstrates that when the exchange interaction is neglected the singlet always prevails, however, in significant portions of the (μ, λ, TD) parameter space the energy difference is very small. This means that interactions that are small, but discriminate between the spin singlet and the spin triplet, are important in order to determine the nature of the superconducting order there.

Enhancing semantic congruity effects with category-contingent comparative judgments.

In each of two experiments the direction of a binary comparison was contingent on the category of the stimulus pair. In one experiment, participants had to compare the size of animals from memory. On congruent trials, they had to select the smaller animal if both were small and the larger if both were large and on incongruent trials they selected the larger if both were small and the smaller if both were large.

Psychosocial adjustment of Israeli veterans with disabilities: Does employment status matter?

Background: Since its establishment in 1948, the state of Israel has been deeply committed to reintegrating veterans with disabilities into mainstream society. Prominently, the Israeli Ministry of Defence's rehabilitation division provides veterans with disabilities with a wide array of benefits and services aimed at restoring their physical and psychosocial functioning, especially in the workplace. The focus on employment is motivated by a prevailing assumption among professionals that successful adjustment to disability is contingent on an individual's ability to reacquire normative occupational function.

Culturally-Driven Biases in Preschoolers' Spatial Search Strategies for Ordinal and Non-Ordinal Dimensions.

Culturally-driven spatial biases affect the way people interact with and think about the world. We examine the ways in which spatial presentation of stimuli affects learning and memory in preschool-aged children in the USA and Israel. In Experiment 1, preschoolers in both cultures were given a spatial search task in which they were asked to utilize verbal labels (letters of the alphabet) to match the hiding locations of two monkeys.

Comparison of three methods for wind turbine capacity factor estimation.

Three approaches to calculating capacity factor of fixed speed wind turbines are reviewed and compared using a case study. The first "quasiexact" approach utilizes discrete wind raw data (in the histogram form) and manufacturer-provided turbine power curve (also in discrete form) to numerically calculate the capacity factor. On the other hand, the second "analytic" approach employs a continuous probability distribution function, fitted to the wind data as well as continuous turbine power curve, resulting from double polynomial fitting of manufacturer-provided power curve data.

A model for treating HCV hepatitis in patients receiving methadone maintenance therapy.

Introduction: Although hepatitis C virus (HCV) is associated with substance abuse, treatment of addicts is problematic. We report the results of a pilot scheme for treatment of HCV - infected substance abusers in a methadone maintenance center (MMC).

Methods: The treatment program was carried out at a single MMC.

PTSD, resilience and posttraumatic growth among ex-prisoners of war and combat veterans.

Background: Past studies have shown that adversity may yield various salutogenic outcomes. two constructs that have been at the center of this scientific investigation are resilience and posttraumatic growth (PTG). the present study aims to clarify the relations between posttraumatic stress symptoms, resilience and PTG among israeli war veterans.

Investigation of risks for cerebral embolism associated with the hemodynamics of cardiopulmonary bypass cannula: a numerical model.

Cerebral emboli originating in the ascending aorta are a major cause of noncardiac complications following cardiac surgery. The hemodynamics of the aortic cannula has been proven to play a significant role in emboli generation and distribution. The aim of the current study was to perform a thorough numerical investigation in order to examine the effect of the design and orientation of the cannula used during cardiopulmonary bypass on the risk to develop cerebral embolism.

Random walks on the mental number line.

The direction of influence between conceptual and motor activation, and its relevance for real-life activities, is still unclear. Here, we use the frequently reported association between small/large numbers and left/right space to investigate this issue during walking. We asked healthy adults to generate random numbers as they made lateral turns and found that (1) lateral turn decisions are predicted by the last few numbers generated prior to turning; (2) the intention to turn left/right makes small/large numbers more accessible; and (3) magnitude but not order of auditorily presented numbers influences the listener's turn selection.

Specific neurological phenotypes in autism spectrum disorders are associated with sex representation.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a heritable disorder occurring predominantly in males. The aim of this study was to compare sex differences in the prevalence of specific neurological phenotypes commonly described in ASD. The study included 663 participants, aged 18 months to 15 years, diagnosed with ASD.

Healing the social self: how parents whose children were killed in terror attacks construct the experience of help.

This study focuses on expressed needs and structures of assistance received by Israeli parents whose children were killed in terror attacks. The loss takes place within a multi-systemic network that can be a healing force and/or a distorting factor in the grief process. The qualitative research paradigm employed privileges the knowledge of the parents themselves.

Reactions to the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami: a preliminary matching study comparing nurses and civilians.

The research of reactions to disasters is uncommon. Moreover, most studies target a specific population, whether civilians or professionals. The aim of this study was to compare the reactions of hospital personnel and civilians after exposure to a unique disaster that combines natural and nuclear disaster.

Cultivation and counter cultivation: does religiosity shape the relationship between television viewing and estimates of crime prevalence and assessment of victimization likelihood?

Religiosity may change the direction of the effect of TV viewing on assessment of the likelihood of personal victimization and estimates concerning crime prevalence. A content analysis of a representative sample of TV programming (56 hours of prime-time shows) was done to identify the most common crimes on television, followed by a survey of a representative sample of the adult public in a large urban district (778 respondents) who were asked to estimate the prevalence of these crimes and to assess the likelihood of themselves being victimized. People who defined themselves as non-religious increased their estimates of prevalence for crimes often depicted on TV, as they reported more time watching TV (ordinary cultivation effect), whereas estimates regarding the prevalence of crime and assessment of victimization likelihood among religious respondents were lower with reports of more time devoted to television viewing (counter-cultivation effect).

Evaluation of the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Parenting Stress Inventory (PPSI).

Objective: This work evaluated the psychometric properties of the Pediatric Parenting Stress Inventory (PPSI), a new measure of problems and distress experienced by parents of children with chronic illnesses.

Method: This secondary data analysis used baseline data from 1 sample of English-, Spanish-, and Hebrew-speaking mothers of children recently diagnosed with cancer (n = 449) and 1 sample of English- and Spanish-speaking mothers of children recently diagnosed with cancer (n = 399) who participated in 2 problem-solving skills training interventions. The PPSI was administered at baseline with other measures of maternal distress.

Health perceptions, self and body image, physical activity and nutrition among undergraduate students in Israel.

Purpose: This study examines health perceptions, self and body image, physical exercise and nutrition among undergraduate students.

Methods: A structured, self-reported questionnaire was administered to more than 1500 students at a large academic institute in Israel. The study population was heterogenic in both gender and fields of academic study.

Sonodynamic excitation of Rose Bengal for eradication of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.

Photodynamic antimicrobial chemotherapy based on photosensitizers activated by illumination is limited by poor penetration of visible light through skin and tissues. In order to overcome this problem, Rose Bengal was excited in the dark by 28 kHz ultrasound and was applied for inactivation of bacteria. It is demonstrated, for the first time, that the sonodynamic technique is effective for eradication of gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative Escherichia coli.