The a-axis orientation of strontium bismuth tantalate (SBT) thin films on Pt/TiOx/SiO2/Si substrates was found to be controlled by the atomic composition of the precursor solution, heating rate for thermal annealing, and thickness of the single-annealed layer of chemical solution deposition. Under optimized conditions, an increase in the thickness of the total film caused the orientation to change from random to a-axis preferred. It was considered that anisotropic growth is available for preparing a-axis preferentially oriented films. The SBT thin film, whose relative intensity of the (200) peak [I(200)/I(115)] was 2.3, had a remanent polarization (2Pr) value of 30.4 μC/cm2.
Introduction: Focused ultrasound can stimulate a specific point of tissue and can be a noninvasive method for acupoint stimulation. The aim of this study was to clarify the effects of acupoint stimulation by focused ultrasound on blood flow volume and coldness of the fingers and toes. Materials and Methods: Forty healthy volunteers were included in this experiment. The blood flow volume and the skin temperature of a finger and toe were measured before and after stimulation of the pericardium 6 acupuncture point (PC-6) by focused ultrasound. Subjective coldness of the fingers and toes was also assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) before and after stimulation. Results: The maximum blood flow volumes of the finger and toe were significantly larger (p < 0.01) than those before stimulation. The maximum skin surface temperatures of the fingers were significantly higher (p < 0.01) than those before stimulation. The VAS scores for subjective coldness of the toes after stimulation were significantly higher (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The blood flow volume and skin temperature tended to increase after PC-6 stimulation. The VAS scores also indicated a tendency toward a warmer sensation in the toes after stimulation.
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