Constraining the relative inclinations of the planets B and C of the millisecond pulsar PSR B1257+12

We investigate on the relative inclination of the planets B and C orbiting the pulsar PSR B1257+12 in connection with potential violations of the equivalence principle (Abridged).Comment: LaTex2e, 10 pages, 1 table, 3 figures, 17 references. Small stylistic changes. Version to appear in Journal of Astrophysics and Astronomy (JAA

Radio Timing and Optical Photometry of the Black Widow System PSR J1953+1846A in the Globular Cluster M71

We report on the determination of the astrometric, spin and orbital parameters for PSR J1953+1846A, a "black widow" binary millisecond pulsar in the globular cluster M71. By using the accurate position and orbital parameters obtained from radio timing, we identified the optical companion in ACS/Hubble Space Telescope images. It turns out to be a faint (m_F606W>=24, m_F814W>=23) and variable star located at only ~0.06" from the pulsar timing position. The light curve shows a maximum at the pulsar inferior conjunction and a minimum at the pulsar superior conjunction, thus confirming the association with the system. The shape of the optical modulation suggests that the companion star is heated, likely by the pulsar wind. The comparison with the X-ray light curve possibly suggests the presence of an intra-binary shock due to the interaction between the pulsar wind and the material released by the companion. This is the second identification (after COM-M5C) of an optical companion to a black widow pulsar in a globular cluster. Interestingly, the two companions show a similar light curve and share the same position in the color magnitude diagram.Comment: Accepted for publication by ApJ; 33 Pages, 10 Figures, 3 Table

Discovery of three new millisecond pulsars in Terzan 5

We report on the discovery of three new millisecond pulsars (namely J1748-2446aj, J1748-2446ak and J1748-2446al) in the inner regions of the dense stellar system Terzan 5. These pulsars have been discovered thanks to a method, alternative to the classical search routines, that exploited the large set of archival observations of Terzan 5 acquired with the Green Bank Telescope over 5 years (from 2010 to 2015). This technique allowed the analysis of stacked power spectra obtained by combining ~206 hours of observation. J1748-2446aj has a spin period of ~2.96 ms, J1748-2446ak of ~1.89 ms (thus it is the fourth fastest pulsar in the cluster) and J1748-2446al of ~5.95 ms. All the three millisecond pulsars are isolated and currently we have timing solutions only for J1748-2446aj and J1748-2446ak. For these two systems, we evaluated the contribution to the measured spin-down rate of the acceleration due to the cluster potential field, thus estimating the intrinsic spin-down rates, which are in agreement with those typically measured for millisecond pulsars in globular clusters. Our results increase to 37 the number of pulsars known in Terzan 5, which now hosts 25% of the entire pulsar population identified, so far, in globular clusters.Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures. ApJ (accepted

Schizophrenic patients’ expectations facing technology in a cognitive rehabilitation therapy environment

eTherapy can bring numerous advantages, however people have to adapt to a different discourse. It would be interesting to know patients’ expectations regarding to this type of therapy. A questionnaire was developed with the most studied factors proved to have an important role in technology acceptance. The results allowed highlighting some important factors that influence behavioral intention, and made it possible to verify that some of these factors may be linked or influence others among different dimensions

Educação e mediação intercultural: Experiências e práticas de formação e investigação

Com base na comunicação que este grupo de investigadoras realizou nas primeiras Jornadas da Rede de Ensino Superior para a Mediação Intercultural “Entre Iguais e Diferentes a Mediação Intercultural”, apresentamos, sucinta-mente, alguns projetos de investigação, formação e intervenção educativa, em que temos estado envolvidas nas nossas instituições, e nos quais a mediação constituiu uma componente relevante. Adotamos aqui um conceito abrangente de mediação, considerando dispositivos, contextos, protagonistas e interações que concorrem para o desenvolvimento de processos de comunicação e de aproximação entre pessoas, grupos e/ou comunidades, no sentido da transformação pessoal e social, da emancipação e da coesão social. É por isso que nalguns casos os projetos foram (ou são) mais focados na mediação de conflitos, noutros na mediação cultural e noutros ainda na mediação intercultural e comunitária. Também os campos de ação e investigação em que estes projetos tiveram lugar podem considerar-se diversos. Alguns deles têm o seu foco no campo da formação, por vezes em articulação com a investigação, e outros no campo da ação socioeducativa, integrando processos de investigação, designadamente de investigação-ação e de etnografia crítica. Pensamos ser esta uma oportunidade para promover a divulgação destes projetos, favorecer o reconhecimento das nossas áreas de interesse e encontrar possíveis sinergias para o desenvolvimento de projetos comuns.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio