Influence of the subesophageal ganglion on the electrical activity of neurons of the metathoracic ganglion of the cockroach Periplaneta americana

Studies have been made of non-specific effect of suboesophageal gnaglion on excitability of the segmental centers in the cockroach P. americana. It was shown that the electrical stimulation of the ganglion increases the frequency of the spontaneous activity and decreases the threshold of the evoked reactions in neurons of the metathoracic ganglion. The level of activation depends on the intensity of stimulation. Application of GABA (0.1 M) to the suboesophageal ganglion decreases the frequency of the background activity in the segmental neurons, this effect being presumably due to activation of the inhibitory structures. The descending influences from the suboesophageal ganglion may spread to centers of the metathoracic ganglion along monosynaptic pathways.     

Superoxidation and Electrochemical Reactions during Switching in Pb(Zr2Ti)O3 Ceramics

Under ferroelectric switching in Pb(Zr₂Ti)O₃ (PZT) ceramics, we demonstrate that oxygen gas is emitted and degrades electrode microstructure. The oxygen is a direct result of the defect chemistry associated with superoxidation which is established during the processing of the ceramics. Under high alternating electric fields, electron injection into the ceramic surface induces a reduction process, and surface layers are believed to change from a p-type electronic compensation to an ionic compensation of oxygen vacancies and A-site lead vacancies. During this process, we noticed progressive changes in capacitance, loss, remnant polarization, and coercive field. The wider implications of this observation for PZT thin film nonvolatile memories are discussed in brief.