Binary and Millisecond Pulsars at the New Millennium

We review the properties and applications of binary and millisecond pulsars. Our knowledge of these exciting objects has greatly increased in recent years, mainly due to successful surveys which have brought the known pulsar population to over 1300. There are now 56 binary and millisecond pulsars in the Galactic disk and a further 47 in globular clusters. This review is concerned primarily with the results and spin-offs from these surveys which are of particular interest to the relativity community.Comment: 59 pages, 26 figures, 5 tables. Accepted for publication in Living Reviews in Relativity (http://www.livingreviews.org

Nutrient adequacy during weight loss interventions: a randomized study in women comparing the dietary intake in a meal replacement group with a traditional food group

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Safe and effective weight control strategies are needed to stem the current obesity epidemic. The objective of this one-year study was to document and compare the macronutrient and micronutrient levels in the foods chosen by women following two different weight reduction interventions.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Ninety-six generally healthy overweight or obese women (ages 25–50 years; BMI 25–35 kg/m²) were randomized into a Traditional Food group (TFG) or a Meal Replacement Group (MRG) incorporating 1–2 meal replacement drinks or bars per day. Both groups had an energy-restricted goal of 5400 kJ/day. Dietary intake data was obtained using 3-Day Food records kept by the subjects at baseline, 6 months and one-year. For more uniform comparisons between groups, each diet intervention consisted of 18 small group sessions led by the same Registered Dietitian.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Weight loss for the 73% (n = 70) completing this one-year study was not significantly different between the groups, but was significantly different (p ≤ .05) within each group with a mean (± standard deviation) weight loss of -6.1 ± 6.7 kg (TFG, n = 35) vs -5.0 ± 4.9 kg (MRG, n = 35). Both groups had macronutrient (Carbohydrate:Protein:Fat) ratios that were within the ranges recommended (50:19:31, TFG vs 55:16:29, MRG). Their reported reduced energy intake was similar (5729 ± 1424 kJ, TFG vs 5993 ± 2016 kJ, MRG). There was an improved dietary intake pattern in both groups as indicated by decreased intake of saturated fat (≤ 10%), cholesterol (<200 mg/day), and sodium (< 2400 mg/day), with increased total servings/day of fruits and vegetables (4.0 ± 2.2, TFG vs 4.6 ± 3.2, MRG). However, the TFG had a significantly lower dietary intake of several vitamins and minerals compared to the MRG and was at greater risk for inadequate intake.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this one-year university-based intervention, both dietitian-led groups successfully lost weight while improving overall dietary adequacy. The group incorporating fortified meal replacements tended to have a more adequate essential nutrient intake compared to the group following a more traditional food group diet. This study supports the need to incorporate fortified foods and/or dietary supplements while following an energy-restricted diet for weight loss.</p

Globalization and the “Democratic Peace” as Civilizing Forces? The case study of Israel

Cosmopolitans, striving to make all human beings part of one worldwide community, are inspired by two developments of today’s world: globalization and the so-called ‘democratic peace’. But is this hope justified – do these phenomenons exert a civilizing force? By discussing the case of Israel, i.e. a partially developed democracy, it is found that it is difficult for globalization to become a cosmopolitan force under the circumstances of conflict. Furthermore, democracies are able to project their internal values onto foreign policy only when dealing with other democracies; they display autocratic foreign policy behaviour when dealing with non-liberal states. In this respect a full-fledged and internationally recognized Palestinian democratic state could increase the chances for a future of mutual respect in the Holy Land

The French Socialist and German Social Democratic Parties and the Future of the Working Class in the European Coal & Steel Community, 1948-1954

Although the status of workers in the European Coal & Steel Community (ECSC) was not the determining factor in French Socialist (SFIO) and German Social Democratic (SPD) policy towards the Schuman Plan, the two parties made sustained efforts to protect workers’ interests within the Community. During the Schuman Plan debates, SPD leaders argued that they had higher chances of enacting a program of full employment and socialization at the national level, rather than within a supranational community, while the SFIO leaders concluded that the High Authority would strengthen the influence of workers in the coal and steel industries. After ECSC ratification, the SFIO and SPD criticized the paucity of the ECSC’s social achievements, and consistently pressured the High Authority to enforce the social provisions of the Treaty of Paris

Animation as a Dynamic Visualization Technique for Improving Process Model Comprehension

Dataset of the results of the experiment performed in the paper at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2021.10347