Comparative Study of Hydrogen- and Deuterium-Induced Degradation of Ferroelectric (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O Capacitors Using Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Measurement.

Ferroelectric (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti)O (PLZT) capacitors were fabricated with Pt, Al:ZnO (AZO), or Sn:InO (ITO) top electrodes. Hydrogen- or deuterium-induced degradation was investigated for the three capacitors by annealing in a 3% H/balance N or 3% D/balance N ambient environment at 200 °C and 1 torr. The remnant polarization of all capacitors decreased after annealing in both H and D ambient after 45 min, and the remnant polarization of the Pt/PLZT/Pt capacitor significantly decreased after 45-min annealing compared with that of the AZO/PLZT/Pt and ITO/PLZT/Pt capacitors, even though the initial remnant polarization for the Pt/PLZT/Pt capacitor was larger.

Yields and images of secondary ions from organic materials by different primary Bi ions in time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Rationale: Bi cluster ions are used as a source of primary ions for time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS), and it has been recognized that secondary ion yields of macromolecules are higher with Bi cluster ions than with monomer ions or other cluster ions such as Cs(+), Ga(+) and Aun (+). However, the analysis conditions of Bi cluster TOF-SIMS are not sufficiently established. This study provides information on the secondary ion yields, damage cross-section and spatial resolution obtained with different primary Bi ions.

Effects of molecular weight and cationization agent on the sensitivity of Bi cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry.

Rationale: Bi cluster secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) is one of the most promising tools for precise analysis of synthetic polymers. However, the sensitivity in the high-mass region is still insufficient compared with matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOFMS). Accordingly, the effects of metal assistance (cationization agents) were investigated in this study.

Inhalation of budesonide/formoterol increases diaphragm muscle contractility.

Background: Although budesonide/formoterol (BUD/FORM) is used clinically as a steroid/β(2)-agonist single inhaler, it has not yet been clarified whether BUD/FORM has inotropic effects on diaphragm muscles after inhalation.

Methods: We examined the effects of BUD/FORM inhalation, endotoxin injection, and BUD/FORM inhalation plus endotoxin injection on diaphragm contractile properties and nitric oxide (NO) production. After these three treatments, the diaphragm muscle was dissected, and its contractile properties were measured.

Effects of inhalation or incubation of oxitropium bromide on diaphragm muscle contractility in mice.

Background: Although oxitropium bromide is used clinically as an anticholinergic drug (i.e., parasympathetic antagonist) to relax airway smooth muscle, we examined whether it has or does not have any effects on diaphragm muscle.

Tulobuterol patch maintains diaphragm muscle contractility for over twenty-four hours in a mouse model of sepsis.

Tulobuterol, a sympathomimetic drug used as a transdermal patch, increases normal diaphragm muscle strength. Because diaphragm muscle weakness (i.e.