The aim of this study was to determine whether there was a significant change in cardiac [123I]-metaiodobenzylguanidine uptake between baseline and follow-up in individuals with mild cognitive impairment with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) who had normal baseline scans. Eight participants with a diagnosis of probable MCI-LB and a normal baseline scan consented to a follow-up scan between 2 and 4 years after baseline. All eight repeat scans remained normal; however, in three cases uptake decreased by more than 10%. The mean change in uptake between baseline and repeat was −5.2% (range: −23.8% to +7.0%). The interpolated mean annual change in uptake was −1.6%.

Electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities are greater in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) with Lewy bodies (MCI-LB) than in MCI due to Alzheimer’s disease (MCI-AD) and may anticipate the onset of dementia. We aimed to assess whether quantitative EEG (qEEG) slowing would predict a higher annual hazard of dementia in MCI across these etiologies. MCI patients (n = 92) and healthy comparators (n = 31) provided qEEG recording and underwent longitudinal clinical and cognitive follow-up. Associations between qEEG slowing, measured by increased theta/alpha ratio, and clinical progression from MCI to dementia were estimated with a multistate transition model to account for death as a competing risk, while controlling for age, cognitive function, and etiology classified by an expert consensus panel.

Over a mean follow-up of 1.5 years (SD = 0.5), 14 cases of incident dementia and 5 deaths were observed. Increased theta/alpha ratio on qEEG was associated with increased annual hazard of dementia (hazard ratio = 1.84, 95% CI: 1.01–3.35). This extends previous findings that MCI-LB features early functional changes, showing that qEEG slowing may anticipate the onset of dementia in prospectively identified MCI.

Background: Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is the leading cause of spinal cord impairment. In a public healthcare system, wait times to see spine specialists and eventually access surgical treatment for CSM can be substantial. The goals of this study were to determine consultation wait times (CWT) and surgical wait times (SWT), and identify predictors of wait time length. Methods: Consecutive patients enrolled in the Canadian Spine Outcomes and Research Network (CSORN) prospective and observational CSM study from March 2015 to July 2017 were included. A data-splitting technique was used to develop and internally validate multivariable models of potential predictors. Results: A CSORN query returned 264 CSM patients for CWT. The median was 46 days. There were 31% mild, 35% moderate, and 33% severe CSM. There was a statistically significant difference in median CWT between moderate and severe groups; 207 patients underwent surgical treatment. Median SWT was 42 days. There was a statistically significant difference in SWT between mild/moderate and severe groups. Short symptom duration, less pain, lower BMI, and lower physical component score of SF-12 were predictive of shorter CWT. Only baseline pain and medication duration were predictive of SWT. Both CWT and SWT were shorter compared to a concurrent cohort of lumbar stenosis patients (p <0.001). Conclusions: Patients with shorter duration (either symptoms or medication) and less neck pain waited less to see a spine specialist in Canada and to undergo surgical treatment. This study highlights some of the obstacles to overcome in expedited care for this patient population.

Dense, controlled-impedance, superconducting cables with small cross-sections are desirable, especially for quantum computing applications. In this study, superconductivity properties, rf microwave response and mechanical reliability performance of embedded Nb dc cables and Nb microstrip transmission line resonators with different thicknesses of polyimide PI-2611 encapsulation layers (0, 4 and 8 μm) have been investigated. Critical temperature (Tc) and critical current (Ic) of embedded Nb dc cables are ∼ 8.2 K and ∼ 0.2 A, respectively. Embedded Nb resonators yield high loaded quality factor (QL), with values as high as 14481 at ∼ 1.2 K and at a fundamental resonance of ∼ 2 GHz. From mechanical fatigue testing, we have observed that a polyimide encapsulation layer can effectively enhance the mechanical reliability of superconducting Nb flexible cables.

Recently, flexible electronics is attracting growing attention due to its various properties such as lightness and flexibility, which cannot be replaced by rigid electronics. In this study, we investigate flexible ink-jet printed Cu/CuxO/Ag capacitor-like structure that exhibits bipolar resistive switching behavior under direct current voltage sweeps. A vaccum-free and low temperature process is used to fabricate this ReRAM memory device, which allows straightforward fabrication and a structure for characterization of the possible use of CuxO as an insulating layer in these devices. Our device displays a resistive switching ratio greater than 30 between the high resistance and low resistance state at room temperature. The devices exhibit metallic behavior in the low resistance state and a semiconductor behavior is found in the initial and high resistance states as observed in temperature dependent resistance measurements. The resistive switching mechanism of the fabricated structures is explained by the formation and rupture of conductive filament paths.

Carbon nanotubes patterns of micron-level resolution have been achieved using inkjet printing of DNA and SDS assisted CNT dispersions. DNA/CNT film has a significantly higher resistance compared to SDS/CNT film. Taking advantage of the porous nature of printed SDS/CNT film after SDS removal, indium can be electroplated to fill the CNT network and form a CNT/In composite. The CNT/In composite was used as interconnect material. Reworkability and RF performance of In-plated CNT bump structures are studied and the results are presented.

We present two distinct methods to nanostructure the surface of amorphous silicon to produce unique, nanoscale surface features. One method is a dry etch process that employs a modified Bosch1 process on an advanced silicon etcher to produce needle-like features of amorphous silicon. Likewise, we also investigated metal-assisted wet chemical etching2 as an alternative method to nanostructure the amorphous silicon to produce porous-like features. The resulting surface topography leads to an optically black appearance over patterned or large areas. This is a result of the interspacing between each needle and pore that leads to a high optical absorption. Thus, we designate it as black amorphous silicon (b-a-Si). We have deposited and formed regions of b-a-Si on variety of insulating films and metal electrodes, including chrome and titanium. In this study, we characterize the electrical and optical properties of as-deposited amorphous silicon and nanostructured amorphous silicon.

Organic polymer based thin-film transistors (OP-TFTs) look very promising for flexible organic electronics. In this paper, we describe devices based on a gate-planarized structure and using spin-coated organic polymer. We have analyzed the role of the device source and drain contacts and we present data indicating Schottky behavior of the contacts in OP-TFTs. In addition, we describe a quantitative evaluation of the source drain series resistances and extract the OP-TFT intrinsic electrical parameters.

We have investigated the effects of white-light illumination on the electrical performance of organic polymer thin-film transistors (OP-TFTs). The OFF-state drain current is significantly increased, while the drain current in the strong accumulation regime is relatively unaffected. At the same time, the threshold voltage is decreased and the subthreshold slope is increased, while the field-effect mobility of the charge carriers is not affected. The observed effects are explained in terms of the photogeneration of free charge carriers in the channel region due to the absorbed photons.

The surface composition of Mars has been investigated using the Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) instrument during the mapping phase of the Mars Global Surveyor mission. The TES has mapped ~85% of the Martian surface at a resolution of 3-9 km. Separation of the atmospheric dust, water-ice cloud, CO2, water vapor, and surface components has been accomplished using radiative transfer and deconvolution. Two distinct surface compositional units have been mapped; (1) a basalt with plagioclase feldspar, Ca-rich pyroxene, minor sheet silicates; and (2) a basaltic andesite with silica glass, plagioclase, and minor pyroxene. Three large-scale (100’s km) accumulations of hematite have been found in Sinus Meridiani, Aram Chaos and Ophir/Candor Chasms. These regions are interpreted to be formed by aqueous precipitation under either ambient or hydrothermal conditions. No surfaces with detectable abundances of carbonate have been found. The albedo of the surface has been mapped with an absolute accuracy of ~1-2% and significant changes in surface albedo have occurred from the orbital measurements obtained by the Viking IRTM instrument.

In this paper we first give a brief overview of the MOCVD of high temperature superconductors and consider the general requirements of a precursor. We then present results for deposition from Y containing precursors and compare apparent enthalpies of sublimation and deposition activation energies with values in the literature. The problem of Ba containing precursors are briefly reviewed and results given for the sublimation of and deposition from a new stable and volatile precursor. Finally, some comments are made about possible deposition mechanisms.