Quantum Dynamics of Multiferroic Helimagnets: a Schwinger-Boson Approach

We study the quantum dynamics/fluctuation of the cycloidal helical magnet in terms of the Schwinger boson approach. In sharp contrast to the classical fluctuation, the quantum fluctuation is collinear in nature which gives rise to the collinear spin density wave state slightly above the helical cycloidal state as the temperature is lowered. Physical properties such as the reduced elliptic ratio of the spiral, the neutron scattering and infrared absorption spectra are discussed from this viewpoint with the possible relevance to the quasi-one dimensional LiCu$_2$O$_2$ and LiCuVO$_4$.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

ダイガク キョウイン ノ ケンキュウ イヨク ニ エイキョウ オ アタエル ヨウイン ニ ツイテ : ニホン ノ シリツ ダイガク ノ データ カラ

今日、一部を除いて、多くの大学に勤務する教員は、研究活動と教育やその他の学務との両立の面で、大きな困難に直面している。本研究は、大学教員の研究意欲に影響を与える要因を明らかにするため、大学の組織における研究促進のための方策や資源（物理的・制度的な支援、組織構成の柔軟性）、教育活動と研究活動とのニーズの一致、研究時間の不足といった要因が、教員の研究意欲にどのような影響を及ぼしているかを、質問紙調査により検討した。大学教員1250名に回答を依頼し、314名から有効回答を得た。その結果、先行研究と同様、大学からの物理的・制度的な支援が研究意欲を促進するとともに、大学組織構成の柔軟性が研究意欲を向上させる面と低下させる面の両方を持つこと、教育活動と研究活動とのニーズの一致が研究意欲を促進することなどが明らかとなった。また、研究時間が不足すると教員は教育が研究に結びつくような工夫をする傾向があることが示された

Fetal movement counting is associated with the reduction of delayed maternal reaction after perceiving decreased fetal movements: a prospective study.

Maternal perception of decreased fetal movement is associated with adverse perinatal outcomes. Although there have been several studies on interventions related to the fetal movements count, most focused on adverse perinatal outcomes, and little is known about the impact of the fetal movement count on maternal behavior after the perception of decreased fetal movement. We investigated the impact of the daily fetal movement count on maternal behavior after the perception of decreased fetal movement and on the stillbirth rate in this prospective population-based study. Pregnant women in Shiga prefecture of Japan were asked to count the time of 10 fetal movements from 34 weeks of gestation. We analyzed 101 stillbirths after the intervention compared to 121 stillbirths before the intervention. In multivariable analysis, maternal delayed visit to a health care provider after the perception of decreased fetal movement significantly reduced after the intervention (aOR 0.31, 95% CI 0.11-0.83). Our regional stillbirth rates in the pre-intervention and post-intervention periods were 3.06 and 2.70 per 1000 births, respectively. Informing pregnant women about the fetal movement count was associated with a reduction in delayed maternal reaction after the perception of decreased fetal movement, which might reduce stillbirths

Insufficient antenatal identification of fetal growth restriction leading to intrauterine fetal death: a regional population-based study in Japan.

Objective:Fetal growth restriction (FGR) is associated with perinatal adverse outcomes including intrauterine fetal death. Antenatally unidentified FGR has a higher risk of intrauterine fetal death than that identified antenatally. We, therefore, investigated the antenatal identification of FGR among intrauterine fetal deaths, and assessed the perinatal factors associated with the identification of FGR.Methods:This retrospective and population-based study reviewed all stillbirths in Shiga Prefecture, Japan, from 2007 to 2016 with exclusion criteria of multiple births, births at unidentified gestational weeks or < 22 gestational weeks, and lethal disorders. We analyzed cases of FGR, using the Japanese clinical definition: Z-score of estimated fetal weight for gestational age <-1.5 standard deviations (SD).Results:We identified 94 stillbirths with FGR among 429 stillbirths. Thirty-seven cases were antenatally identified during pregnancy management (39%). Dividing cases by a Z-score of -2.5 SD, 51 cases were classified as ≤-2.5 SD. Twenty-eight of the 51 cases (55%) with a Z-score <-2.5 SD were antenatally identified as having FGR, whereas 9 of the 43 cases (21%) with a Z-score ≥-2.5 SD were antenatally identified as having FGR (p = .002). Among cases with a Z-Score <-2.5 SD, 16 of 21 (76%) beyond 28 weeks\u27 gestation and 12 of 30 (40%) before 28weeks\u27 gestation were antenatally identified as having FGR (p = .023).Conclusion:Fetal growth restriction leading to intrauterine fetal death in Japan was antenatally identified in less than half of cases. Antenatal identification of FGR was associated with the severity of growth restriction