Enhanced moments of Eu in single crystals of the metallic helical antiferromagnet EuCo2 yAs2

The compound EuCo{2-y}As2 with the tetragonal ThCr2Si2 structure is known to contain Eu{+2} ions with spin S = 7/2 that order below a temperature TN = 47 K into an antiferromagnetic (AFM) proper helical structure with the ordered moments aligned in the tetragonal ab plane, perpendicular to the helix axis along the c axis, with no contribution from the Co atoms. Here we carry out a detailed investigation of the properties of single crystals. Enhanced ordered and effective moments of the Eu spins are found in most of our crystals. Electronic structure calculations indicate that the enhanced moments arise from polarization of the d bands, as occurs in ferromagnetic Gd metal. Electrical resistivity measurements indicate metallic behavior. The low-field in-plane magnetic susceptibilities chi{ab}(T < TN) for several crystals are reported that are fitted well by unified molecular field theory (MFT), and the Eu-Eu exchange interactions Jij are extracted from the fits. High-field magnetization M data for magnetic fields H||ab reveal what appears to be a first-order spin-flop transition followed at higher field by a second-order metamagnetic transition of unknown origin, and then by another second-order transition to the paramagnetic (PM) state. For H||c, the magnetization shows only a second-order transition from the canted AFM to the PM state, as expected. The critical fields for the AFM to PM transition are in approximate agreement with the predictions of MFT. Heat capacity Cp measurements in zero and high H are reported. Phase diagrams for H||c and H||ab versus T are constructed from the high-field M(H,T) and Cp(H,T) measurements. The magnetic part Cmag(T, H = 0) of Cp(T, H = 0) is extracted and is fitted rather well below TN by MFT, although dynamic short-range AFM order is apparent in Cmag(T) up to about 70 K, where the molar entropy attains its high-T limit of R ln8.Comment: 29 pages, 30 figures including 62 subfigures, 8 tables, 84 reference

Effects of high volume saline enemas vs no enema during labour – The N-Ma Randomised Controlled Trial [ISRCTN43153145]

BACKGROUND: Enemas are used during labour in obstetric settings with the belief that they reduce puerperal and neonatal infections, shorten labour duration, and make delivery cleaner for attending personnel. However, a systematic review of the literature found insufficient evidence to support the use of enemas. The objective of this RCT was to address an identified knowledge gap by determining the effect of routine enemas used during the first stage of labour on puerperal and neonatal infection rates. METHODS: Design: RCT (randomised controlled trial; randomized clinical trial). Outcomes: Clinical diagnosis of maternal or neonatal infections, labour duration, delivery types, episiotomy rates, and prescription of antibiotics Setting: Tertiary care referral hospital at the Javeriana University (Bogotá, Colombia) that attended 3170 births during study period with a caesarean section rate of 26%. Participants: 443 women admitted for delivery to the obstetrics service (February 1997 to February 1998) and followed for a month after delivery. Inclusion criteria were women with: low risk pregnancy and expected to remain in Bogotá during follow up; gestational age ≥ 36 weeks; no pelvic or systemic bacterial infection; intact membranes; cervix dilatation ≤7 cm. Intervention: 1 litre saline enema, versus no enema, allocated following a block random allocation sequence and using sealed opaque envelopes. RESULTS: Allocation provided balanced groups and 86% of the participants were followed up for one month. The overall infection rate for newborns was 21%, and 18% for women. We found no significant differences in puerperal or neonatal infection rates (Puerperal infection: 41/190 [22%] with enema v 26/182 [14%] without enema; RR 0.66 CI 95%: 0.43 to 1.03; neonatal infection 38/191 [20%] with enema v 40/179 [22%] without enema; RR 1.12, 95% CI 95% 0.76 to 1.66), and median labour time was similar between groups (515 min. with enema v 585 min. without enema; P = 0.24). Enemas didn't significantly change episiorraphy dehiscence rates (21/182 [12%] with enema v 32/190 [17%] without enema; P = 0.30). CONCLUSION: This RCT found no evidence to support routine use of enemas during labour. Although these results cannot rule out a small clinical effect, it seems unlikely that enemas will improve maternal and neonatal outcomes and provide an overall benefit

Analysis of ball interception velocity in futsal goalkeepers

Technology constitutes a support to sports training which has an influence on the preparation of the player. This article reports on the analysis of the ball interception velocity in futsal goalkeepers. For this, a tool was created based on inertial and magnetic sensors, and a contact platform which permitted the analysis of the interception velocity. Then, a procedure was designed to execute a number of tests and a series of trials were carried out to define the factors to be evaluated. After that, tests were applied to 10 goalkeepers from the Liga Colombiana de Fútbol de Salón (Colombian Futsal League), which would permit the measurement of the study variable. The anthropometric characteristics presented by the goalkeepers selected were similar according to age, weight and body mass index, allowing homogeneity in the samples. The results showed that 50% of the interceptions to the right of the goalkeeper had a Low velocity (between 30 and 75 km/h); 40% were Medium (between 75 and 119 Km/h) and 10% were Fast (more than 119 Km/h). In addition, with respect to velocity to the left of the goalkeeper, 40% were in the Low range (between 32 and 75 Km/h) and 60% in the Medium range (75 and 119 Km/h). These results show that the goalkeepers have a better velocity performance to their right. It can be concluded that the platform is a precise and ergonomic means to measure the ball interception velocity in goalkeepers

Fuzzy systems and neural networks XML schemas for soft computing

This article presents an XML[2] based language for the specification of objects in the Soft Computing area. The design promotes reuse and takes a compositional approach in which more complex constructs are built from simpler ones; it is also independent of implementation details as the definition of the language only states the expected behaviour of every possible implementation. Here the basic structures for the specification of concepts in the Fuzzy Logic area are described and a simple construct for a generic neural network model is introduced