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The interface between a dielectric thin film and a metal electrode is studied to improve reliability as well as electrical properties of the metal–insulator–metal (MIM) capacitor in dynamic random‐access memory (DRAM) devices. The interfacial layers between a dielectric thin film and a metal electrode play important functional roles such as increasing the electrical barrier or preventing oxygen defects in high‐k dielectrics. By introducing an electrical barrier layer or a sacrificial layer at the metal–dielectric interface for engineering the electronic band, lattice, or dipole, various effects could be confirmed such as the conduction band offset (CBO), bandgap or mismatch modulation for controlling the dielectric loss depending on the AC frequency or leakage current of MIM capacitors. Upon the insertion of Al2O3 as an electrical barrier layer, CBO increased because of the band engineering. Further, upon the insertion of TiO2 as a sacrificial layer at the interface, CBO increased because of the dipole formation at the interface, attributed to the difference in electronegativity. Thus, a robust MIM capacitor for DRAM that maintains a low leakage current and has improved reliability which is realized using the proper combination of interfacial layers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZrO2 deposition using the plasma‐enhanced atomic layer deposition (PEALD) process with a cyclopentadienyl tris(dimethylamino) zirconium (CpZr(NMe2)3) precursor is investigated. The effect of deposition temperature and plasma power on ZrO2 thin films' bonding and electrical properties is studied. CpZr(NMe2)3 is used for the deposition at 100 W and 200–400 °C and at 50–1000 W at 300 °C. When generating O2 plasma, Ar gas and O2 gas are used together to generate more radicals. It is found that CpZr(NMe2)3's PEALD process window is 200–300 °C and the film's crystallinity is strongly influenced by deposition temperature and plasma power. In both process conditions, only the tetragonal phase changes. As a result, the ZrO2 film deposited at 50 W and 300 °C has the highest dielectric constant. This is due to the higher O radical ratio that corresponds to lower plasma power. A high O radical ratio causes a chemical reaction rather than an ion bombardment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The continuous scale-down of dynamic random-access memory (DRAM) requires shrinkage of high aspect ratio metal-insulator-metal (MIM) capacitance along with the successful suppression of its leakage current to maintain desired levels of charge storage and retention. As the dimensions of stacked insulating dielectric and metal electrodes in the MIM capacitor are currently <10 nm, interfacial mixing has a large impact on the reliability of the capacitor. This is because defects and secondary interface oxides significantly alter the physicochemical properties of MIM capacitors. The methodology required to characterize ultrathin interfaces in relation to the performance of MIM devices is highly challenging due to its physical and chemical complexities of interface between dielectric and electrode. In this study, a ZrO2-based dielectric film and its interface (with an ultrathin TiO2/Al2O3 buffer layer) are analyzed using angle-resolved X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ARXPS), spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE), and temperature dependent I–V analysis for a DRAM MIM capacitor. The composite dielectric layer included either Al2O3 on the bottom or Al2O3/TiO2 between the TiN electrode and ZrO2. This study suggests an effective metrology approach to characterize ultrathin MIM capacitors and the important role of interfacial stabilization using a buffer layer for the effective control of leakage current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Jongkyu. Park, Younsoo. Kim, Jinyoung. Youn, Phil. Lee, Young. Sohn, Seoung. Koh, Jee-Young. Lee, Jong. Baik, Jin. Cho Background: Levodopa bioavailability is enhanced by adding entacapone. However, the optimal [...]

Purpose: The composite autonomic symptom scale-31 (COMPASS-31) is a self-rated questionnaire that evaluates diverse autonomic symptoms. In the present study, we developed the Korean version of the COMPASS-31 (K-COMPASS-31) with appropriate translation, and verified its reliability and internal and external validity in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: The original COMPASS-31 was translated independently into Korean by two bilingual neurologists. Test-retest reliability was evaluated at a 2-week interval. We investigated the correlations between the K-COMPASS-31, the scale for outcomes in PD-autonomic (SCOPA-AUT), and the results of an autonomic function test (AFT), respectively. Results: A total of 90 patients with PD (47 females; mean age, 63.4 ± 10.8 years) were enrolled. The K-COMPASS-31 showed excellent test-retest reliability (intra-class correlation coefficient = 0.874, p < 0.001) and internal validity (Cronbach's α-coefficient = 0.878). The COMPASS-31 was positively correlated with SCOPA-AUT (r = 0.609, p < 0.001) and the results of the AFT. Conclusions: In conclusion, the K-COMPASS-31 showed excellent reliability and validity for the assessment of autonomic symptoms in PD patients. The K-COMPASS-31 is an easy-to-repeat and widely used tool for investigating autonomic dysfunction in various neurologic disorders and enables comparison of autonomic dysfunction among neurologic disorders. We recommend the K-COMPASS-31 as a valid instrument for use in clinical practice for patients with PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the appearance of high resolution satellite images, image correction using Rational Polynomial Coefficients (RPCs) has become common. Location accuracy of Korea Multipurpose Satellite (KOMPSAT) standard images is still not adequate, so, in order to leverage the KOMPSAT images for applications such as mapping and change detection, it is necessary to orthorectify the images. In this study, using updated RPCs, we performed orthorectification of KOMPSAT-2, KOMPSAT-3, and KOMPSAT-3A images using various data. Through this study, we discovered that the orthorectification result using precise Ground Control Points (GCPs) and Digital Elevation Model (DEM) is the best, but it was found that the correction results through image matching are also excellent. In particular, it was confirmed that orthoimages with a planimetric accuracy around 3 m (Root Mean Square Error (RMSE)) can be generated by using well-known matching algorithms with open data such as OpenStreetMap (OSM) and Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) DEM, which can be acquired by anyone. Although the accuracy was low in some mountainous terrain, it was confirmed that it could be used for generating KOMPSAT orthoimages using open data. This paper describes the results for orthorectifying high resolution KOMPSAT optical images using various reference data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Differentiation of multiple system atrophy with predominant parkinsonism (MSA-P) and Parkinson's disease (PD) is important, but an effective tool for differentiation has not been identified. We investigated the efficacy of the composite autonomic symptom scale 31 (COMPASS 31) questionnaire as a tool for evaluating autonomic function in parkinsonism patients. In this study, we enrolled drug-naïve patients with MSA-P and PD, and administered the COMPASS-31 and an objective autonomic dysfunction test (AFT). Demographic and clinical data, including parkinsonism and autonomic dysfunction, were compared between the two groups. Additionally, we determined the optimal COMPASS 31 cut-off score to differentiate MSA-P from PD for use as a screening tool. In this study, 27 MSA-P patients and 41 PD patients were recruited. The total COMPASS 31 score was well correlated with the objective AFT results. When we compared the COMPASS 31 score between the two groups, MSA-P patients showed higher total scores and sub-scores in the orthostatic intolerance, gastrointestinal, and bladder domains compared with PD patients. Similarly, MSA-P patients had more abnormalities in expiration to inspiration ratio, Valsalva ratio and pressure recovery time than PD patients in objective AFT. With 13.25 as the cut-off score for diagnosis of MSA-P, the total COMPASS-31 score demonstrated high sensitivity (92.6%) and moderate specificity (51.2%) with an area under the curve of 0.765. Based on our results, the COMPASS 31 is an effective tool for evaluation of autonomic function in patients with parkinsonism. The COMPASS-31 could be used as a sensitive and convenient screening tool, especially for the differentiation between MSA-P and PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To elucidate different patterns of progression of mid-brain atrophy in patients with Richardson's syndrome (RS), progressive supranuclear palsy-parkinsonism (PSP-P), and Parkinson's disease (PD) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based visual rating indexes. Methods: We recruited 12 patients with PSP-RS, 12 with PSP-P, and 23 with PD for whom MRIs had been followed up for at least 2 years (mean ± SD, 4.9 ± 1.6 years) after the initial MRI. MRI-based visual rating indexes were used to estimate midbrain atrophy, including the ratio of the pontine to midbrain tegmental areas (P/M ratio) on a midsagittal image, the length between the interpeduncular fossa and the center of the cerebral aqueduct at the midmammillary-body level (MTEGM) on axial images, and the morning glory sign. Results: Initially, there were no differences in MRI-based visual rating indexes between PSP-P and PD, while PSP-RS showed a higher P/M ratio and lower MTEGM compared with PSP-P and PD. In PD, the P/M ratio and MTEGM remained stable with disease progression. However, the extent of changes between initial and follow-up indexes was similarly greater for both PSP-RS and PSP-P than for PD. Finally, PSP-P showed a higher P/M ratio and lower MTEGM compared with PD in the follow-up, while PSP-RS still exhibited the most profound changes. Conclusions: Midbrain atrophy progresses differentially in patients with PSP-RS, PSP-P, and PD. Longitudinal measurements of midbrain atrophy using MRI-based visual rating indexes can help distinguish patients with PSP-P from those with PSP-RS and PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective image-fusion methods inject the necessary geometric information and preserve the radiometric information. To preserve the radiometric information, the injected high frequency of a panchromatic (pan) image must follow the frequency of the multispectral (MS) image. In this letter, an improved additive-wavelet (AW) fusion method is presented using the à trous algorithm. The proposed method does not decompose the MS image; thus, it preserves the radiometric information of the MS image and can inject high frequency following the frequency of the MS image using a low-resolution pan image. Experimental results obtained using IKONOS data indicate that the proposed method produces superior-quality images compared with the AW-luminance proportional method in a quantitative analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Salmonella is the leading cause of zoonotic foodborne illnesses worldwide and a prevalent threat to the poultry industry. For controlling contamination, the use of chemical sanitizers in combination with biological compounds (e.g., enzymes) offers a solution to reduce the chemical residues. The current study investigated the biofilm reduction effects of a food-grade enzyme—ficin—and a common sanitizer—peroxyacetic acid (PAA)—against an emerging pathogen, Salmonella enterica ser. Thompson, on plastic, eggshell, and chicken skin surfaces. Results showed that PAA could kill S. Thompson, but ficin cannot. Maximum biofilm reduction was 3.7 log CFU/cm2 from plastic after individual treatment with PAA. However, sequential treatment of ficin and PAA led to biofilm reductions of 3.2, 5.0, and 6.5 log CFU/cm2 from chicken skin, eggshell, and plastic, respectively. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy and microscopic analysis confirmed that ficin increased PAA action, causing biofilm matrix destruction. Moreover, the quality of the food surfaces was only altered by 12.5 U/mL ficin and was not altered by PAA. This combined use of enzyme and sanitizer solved major safety issues and proved promising against S. Thompson-associated contaminations in poultry and poultry processing lines. • Both ficin and PAA was efficient against Salmonella enterica ser. Thompson biofilm. • Antagonistic effect was noted from the combined treatment. • Biofilm elimination on plastic was higher compare to eggshell and chicken skin. • Quality of food surfaces remained fresh until 6.25 U/mL of ficin treatment. • Specific concentration of ficin-PAA could be promising in poultry sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Cognition (SCOPA-Cog) was developed to assess cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). In this study, we aimed to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Korean version of the SCOPACog (K-SCOPA-Cog)., Methods: We enrolled 129 PD patients with movement disorders from 31 clinics in South Korea. The original version of the SCOPA-Cog was translated into Korean using the translation-retranslation method. The test-retest method with an intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha coefficient were used to assess reliability. Spearman's rank correlation analysis with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Korean version (MOCA-K) and the Korean Mini-Mental State Examination (K-MMSE) were used to assess concurrent validity., Results: The Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.797, and the ICC was 0.887. Spearman's rank correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation with the K-MMSE and MOCA-K scores (r = 0.546 and r = 0.683, respectively)., Conclusion: Our., Results: demonstrate that the K-SCOPA-Cog has good reliability and validity.

Treatment of paroxysmal nocturnal haemoglobinuria (PNH) includes the monoclonal antibody eculizumab. This randomised, double-blind, multi-national cross-over Phase III study in PNH patients aimed to demonstrate the equivalence of the proposed eculizumab biosimilar SB12 and reference eculizumab (Soliris, ECU). PNH patients with lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) ≥1·5× upper limit of normal were randomised into treatment sequences SB12-ECU or ECU-SB12. Four weekly infusions of 600 mg eculizumab were followed by fortnightly infusions of 900 mg until week 50 (ECU/SB12 cross-over at week 26). Primary endpoints were LDH at week 26 and the time-adjusted area under the effect curve (AUEC) of LDH over weeks 14‒26 and 40‒52. Among 46 patients (92%) who completed the study, the least squares mean (LSM) difference in LDH at week 26 (34·48; 95% confidence interval [CI] -47·66‒116·62 U/l) and geometric LSM ratio of time-adjusted AUEC of LDH (1·08; 90% CI 0·95‒1·23) were within pre-defined equivalence margins. Mean numbers of transfused red blood cell units, other secondary endpoints, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics were comparable. No patients developed anti-drug antibodies. Treatment-emergent adverse events were reported in 72% and 68% of patients in the SB12 and ECU treatment groups, respectively. The results demonstrate equivalence of SB12 to ECU and support SB12-use in PNH patients., Competing Interests: Roberta Demichelis Gomez has received speaker honoraria from Abbvie, Amgen, and Astellas, meeting support from Abbvie, research awards from American Society of Hematology (ASH), and participated in data safety monitoring or advisory boards of Abbvie, Amgen, Astellas, Gilead, and Teva. Horia Bumbea received speaker honoraria from Janssen, Roche, Abbvie, Novartis, Novonordisk, Sandoz, Alvogen, Amgen, Accord, Genesis, Angellini, Takeda, Bristol‐Meyers‐Squibb, Sanofi, and AstraZeneca, meeting support from Janssen, Roche, Abbvie, Novartis, Sandoz, Alvogen, Amgen, Accord, Genesis, Angellini, Takeda, Bristol‐Meyers‐Squibb, and Sobi, and participated in data safety monitoring or advisory boards of Janssen, Roche, Abbvie, Novartis, Novonordisk, Sandoz, Alvogen, Amgen, Accord, Genesis, Angellini, Takeda, Bristol‐Meyers‐Squibb, and AstraZeneca. Younsoo Kim and Jihye Park are employees of Samsung Bioepis. Jun Ho Jang, Larysa Nogaieva, Lily Lee Lee Wong, and Soo Min Lim declared no competing interests., (© 2022 The Authors. eJHaem published by British Society for Haematology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

Objectives: To compare the pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), safety, and immunogenicity between SB12 (a proposed eculizumab biosimilar) and the reference product (RP) eculizumab (i.e., European Union (EU)-sourced Soliris and United States (US)-sourced Soliris)., Materials and Methods: In this phase I study, healthy adult subjects were randomized to receive a 300-mg dose of SB12 or RP eculizumab via intravenous infusion. The PK endpoints were area under the serum concentration-time curve from time zero to infinity and to the last quantifiable concentration, and maximum serum concentration. Bioequivalence for the PK endpoints was determined if the 90% confidence intervals (CIs) for the ratio of geometric least squared means (Lsmeans) were within the pre-defined bioequivalence margins of 80.00 - 125.00%. PD, safety, and immunogenicity were also investigated., Results: The 90% CIs of the geometric Lsmeans ratios of the PK endpoints were fully contained within the pre-defined bioequivalence margin. PD profiles and incidence of treatment-emergent adverse events across treatment groups were comparable. Incidence of anti-drug antibodies was also comparable between all groups, and a positive result for neutralizing antibodies was not detected., Conclusion: This study demonstrated PK bioequivalence and similar PD, safety, and immunogenicity profiles of SB12 to both reference eculizumab products.

Background and Purpose: Impulse-control disorder is an important nonmotor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that can lead to financial and social problems, and be related to a poor quality of life. A nationwide multicenter prospective study was performed with the aim of validating the Korean Version of the Questionnaire for Impulsive-Compulsive Disorders in Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (K-QUIP-RS)., Methods: The K-QUIP-RS was constructed using forward and backward translation, and pretesting of the prefinal version. PD patients on stable medical condition were recruited from 27 movement-disorder clinics. Participants were assessed using the K-QUIP-RS and evaluated for parkinsonian motor and nonmotor statuses and for PD-related quality of life using a predefined evaluation battery. The test-retest reliability of the K-QUIP-RS was assessed over an interval of 10-14 days, and correlations between the KQUIP-RS and other clinical scales were analyzed., Results: This study enrolled 136 patients. The internal consistency of the K-QUIP-RS was indicated by a Cronbach's α coefficient of 0.846, as was the test-retest reliability by a Guttman split-half coefficient of 0.808. The total K-QUIP-RS score was positively correlated with the scores for depression and motivation items on the Unified PD Rating Scale (UPDRS), Montgomery-Asberg Depression Scale, and Rapid-Eye-Movement Sleep-Behavior-Disorders Questionnaire. The total K-QUIP-RS score was also correlated with the scores on part II of the UPDRS and the PD Quality of Life-39 questionnaire, and the dopaminergic medication dose., Conclusions: The K-QUIP-RS appears to be a reliable assessment tool for impulse-control and related behavioral disturbances in the Korean PD population., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Korean Neurological Association.)

Background and Purpose: This study aimed to determine the clinimetric properties of the Korean version of Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-2 (K-PDSS-2) and whether distinct subtypes of sleep disturbance can be empirically identified in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) using the cross-culturally validated K-PDSS-2., Methods: The internal consistency, test-retest reliability, scale precision, and convergent validity of K-PDSS-2 were assessed in a nationwide, multicenter study of 122 patients with PD. Latent class analysis (LCA) was used to derive subgroups of patients who experienced similar patterns of sleep-related problems and nocturnal disabilities., Results: The total K-PDSS-2 score was 11.67±9.87 (mean±standard deviation) at baseline and 12.61±11.17 at the retest. Cronbach's α coefficients of the total K-PDSS-2 scores at baseline and follow-up were 0.851 and 0.880, respectively. The intraclass correlation coefficients over the 2-week study period ranged from 0.672 to 0.848. The total K-PDSS-2 score was strongly correlated with health-related quality of life measures and other corresponding nonmotor scales. LCA revealed three distinct subtypes of sleep disturbance in the study patients: "less-troubled sleepers," "PD-related nocturnal difficulties," and "disturbed sleepers.", Conclusions: K-PDSS-2 showed good clinimetric attributes in accordance with previous studies that employed the original version of the PDSS-2, therefore confirming the cross-cultural usefulness of the scale. This study has further documented the first application of an LCA approach for identifying subtypes of sleep disturbance in patients with PD., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2020 Korean Neurological Association.)

Background: Sleep problems commonly occur in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD), and are associated with a lower quality of life. The aim of the current study was to translate the English version of the Scales for Outcomes in Parkinson's Disease-Sleep (SCOPA-S) into the Korean version of SCOPA-S (K-SCOPA-S), and to evaluate its reliability and validity for use by Korean-speaking patients with PD., Methods: In total, 136 patients with PD from 27 movement disorder centres of university-affiliated hospitals in Korea were enrolled in this study. They were assessed using SCOPA, Hoehn and Yahr Scale (HYS), Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale 2nd version (PDSS-2), Non-motor Symptoms Scale (NMSS), Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale (MADS), 39-item Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ39), Neurogenic Orthostatic Hypotension Questionnaire (NOHQ), and Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behaviour Disorder Questionnaire (RBDQ). The test-retest reliability was assessed over a time interval of 10-14 days., Results: The internal consistency (Cronbach's α-coefficients) of K-SCOPA-S was 0.88 for nighttime sleep (NS) and 0.75 for daytime sleepiness (DS). Test-retest reliability was 0.88 and 0.85 for the NS and DS, respectively. There was a moderate correlation between the NS sub-score and PDSS-2 total score. The NS and DS sub-scores of K-SCOPA-S were correlated with motor scale such as HYS, and non-motor scales such as UPDRS I, UPDRS II, MADS, NMSS, PDQ39, and NOHQ while the DS sub-score was with RBDQ., Conclusion: The K-SCOPA-S exhibited good reliability and validity for the assessment of sleep problems in the Korean patients with PD., Competing Interests: The authors have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose., (© 2018 The Korean Academy of Medical Sciences.)

Objective: Postural instability and gait disturbance are the cardinal symptoms associated with falling among patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). The Tinetti mobility test (TMT) is a well-established measurement tool used to predict falls among elderly people. However, the TMT has not been established or widely used among PD patients in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the TMT for PD patients., Methods: Twenty-four patients diagnosed with PD were enrolled in this study. For the interrater reliability test, thirteen clinicians scored the TMT after watching a video clip. We also used the test-retest method to determine intrarater reliability. For concurrent validation, the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale, Hoehn and Yahr staging, Berg Balance Scale, Timed-Up and Go test, 10-m walk test, and gait analysis by three-dimensional motion capture were also used. We analyzed receiver operating characteristic curve to predict falling., Results: The interrater reliability and intrarater reliability of the Korean Tinetti balance scale were 0.97 and 0.98, respectively. The interrater reliability and intra-rater reliability of the Korean Tinetti gait scale were 0.94 and 0.96, respectively. The Korean TMT scores were significantly correlated with the other clinical scales and three-dimensional motion capture. The cutoff values for predicting falling were 14 points (balance subscale) and 10 points (gait subscale)., Conclusion: We found that the Korean version of the TMT showed excellent validity and reliability for gait and balance and had high sensitivity and specificity for predicting falls among patients with PD.

Objective: Autonomic symptoms are commonly observed in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and often limit the activities of daily living. The Scale for Outcomes in Parkinson's disease-Autonomic (SCOPA-AUT) was developed to evaluate and quantify autonomic symptoms in PD. The goal of this study was to translate the original SCOPA-AUT, which was written in English, into Korean and to evaluate its reliability and validity for Korean PD patients., Methods: For the translation, the following processes were performed: forward translation, backward translation, expert review, pretest of the pre-final version and development of the final Korean version of SCOPA-AUT (K-SCOPA-AUT). In total, 127 patients with PD from 31 movement disorder clinics of university-affiliated hospitals in Korea were enrolled in this study. All patients were assessed using the K-SCOPA-AUT and other motor, non-motor, and quality of life scores. Test-retest reliability for the K-SCOPA-AUT was assessed over a time interval of 10-14 days., Results: The internal consistency and reliability of the K-SCOPA-AUT was 0.727 as measured by the mean Cronbach's α-coefficient. The test-retest correlation reliability was 0.859 by the Guttman split-half coefficient. The total K-SCOPA-AUT score showed a positive correlation with other non-motor symptoms [the Korean version of non-motor symptom scale (K-NMSS)], activities of daily living (Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale part II) and quality of life [the Korean version of Parkinson's Disease Quality of Life 39 (K-PDQ39)]., Conclusion: The K-SCOPA-AUT had good reliability and validity for the assessment of autonomic dysfunction in Korean PD patients. Autonomic symptom severities were associated with many other motor and non-motor impairments and influenced quality of life., Competing Interests: The authors have no financial conflicts of interest.

Aims: To elucidate different patterns of progression of midbrain atrophy in patients with Richardson's syndrome (RS), progressive supranuclear palsy-parkinsonism (PSP-P), and Parkinson's disease (PD) using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based visual rating indexes., Methods: We recruited 12 patients with PSP-RS, 12 with PSP-P, and 23 with PD for whom MRIs had been followed up for at least 2 years (mean ± SD, 4.9 ± 1.6 years) after the initial MRI. MRI-based visual rating indexes were used to estimate midbrain atrophy, including the ratio of the pontine to midbrain tegmental areas (P/M ratio) on a midsagittal image, the length between the interpeduncular fossa and the center of the cerebral aqueduct at the midmammillary-body level (MTEGM) on axial images, and the morning glory sign., Results: Initially, there were no differences in MRI-based visual rating indexes between PSP-P and PD, while PSP-RS showed a higher P/M ratio and lower MTEGM compared with PSP-P and PD. In PD, the P/M ratio and MTEGM remained stable with disease progression. However, the extent of changes between initial and follow-up indexes was similarly greater for both PSP-RS and PSP-P than for PD. Finally, PSP-P showed a higher P/M ratio and lower MTEGM compared with PD in the follow-up, while PSP-RS still exhibited the most profound changes., Conclusions: Midbrain atrophy progresses differentially in patients with PSP-RS, PSP-P, and PD. Longitudinal measurements of midbrain atrophy using MRI-based visual rating indexes can help distinguish patients with PSP-P from those with PSP-RS and PD., (© 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.)

To minimize the formation of unwanted interfacial layers, thin interfacial layer (ZrCN layer) was deposited between TiN bottom electrode and ZrO2 dielectric in TiN/ZrO2/TiN capacitor. Carbon and nitrogen were also involved in the layer because ZrCN layer was thermally deposited using TEMAZ without any reactant. Electrical characteristics of TiN/ZrO2/TiN capacitor were improved by insertion of ZrCN layer. The oxidation of TiN bottom electrode was largely inhibited at TiN/ZrCN/ZrO2 structure compared to TiN/ZrO2 structure. While the sheet resistance of TiN/ZrCN/ZrO2 structure was constantly sustained with increasing ZrO2 thickness, the large increase of sheet resistance was observed in TiN/ZrO2 structure after 6 nm ZrO2 deposition. When ZrO2 films were deposited on ZrCN layer, the deposition rate of ZrO2 also increased. It is believed that ZrCN layer acted both as a protection layer of TiN oxidation and a seed layer of ZrO2 growth.

The coordination chemistry of the hydrazine derivatives dimethylhydrazine (Hdmh) and N-trimethylsilyl-N'N'-dimethylhydrazine (Htdmh) at Ta, Zr and Hf was investigated aiming at volatile mixed ligand all-nitrogen coordinated compounds. The hydrazido ligands were introduced either by salt metathesis employing the Li salts of the hydrazines and the tetrachlorides MCl(4) (M = Zr, Hf) or by amine substitution using M(NR(2))(4) (R = Me, Et) and [(t-BuN)Ta(NR(2))(3)]. The new complexes were fully characterised including (1)H/(13)C NMR, mass spectrometry and a study of their thermal behaviour. The crystal structures of [ZrCl(tdmh)(3)] and the all-nitrogen coordinated complex [Ta(N-t-Bu)(NMe(2))(2)(tdmh)] are discussed as well as the structure of the by-product [Li(tdmh)(py)](2). Preliminary MOCVD experiments of the liquid compound [Ta(NEt(2))(2)(N-t-Bu)(tdmh)] were performed and the deposited TaN(Si) films were analysed by RBS and SEM.

Novel mixed amido-/imido-/guanidinato-complexes of tantalum are reported. The complexes were synthesised by insertion reactions of carbodiimides of the type C(NR)2(R =iso-propyl (i-Pr)) into the M-N bonds of tantalum mixed amido/imido complexes. Three representative complexes were synthesised and fully characterised by 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR, CHN-analysis and mass spectroscopy. The crystal structure of the complex [Ta(NMe2){(i-Pr-N)2C(NMe2)}2(N-t-Bu)](1)(Me = methyl, t-Bu =tert-butyl) is presented and discussed. The complexes are solids that can be quantitatively sublimed at moderate temperatures (120-130 degrees C) without any sign of decomposition. The thermal properties of the new compounds were studied (TGA) and preliminary MOCVD-experiments were performed. TaN films were deposited and characterised by XRD and XPS.