Longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, a disabling disorder with a good prognosis: a case series from Nepal.

Introduction: Longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) is a rare spinal cord disorder with variable etiologies and presentations. It can present solely or as an association with other neurological disorders. Methodology: It was a series of cases of LETM in a tertiary care hospital. Clinical presentation and outcomes: The initial three cases presented with bilateral lower extremity weakness and were diagnosed as transverse myelitis while, the fourth case, already diagnosed as LETM presented with seizure followed by loss of consciousness. All four cases had a good prognosis to date with continued physiotherapy. Conclusion: The early diagnosis of the disease helps to guide the optimal management and decide the potential need for physiotherapy.

Simultaneous Growth Strategy of High-Optical-Efficiency GaN NWs on a Wide Range of Substrates by Pulsed Laser Deposition.

Here, we explore a catalyst-free single-step growth strategy that results in high-quality self-assembled single-crystal vertical GaN nanowires (NWs) grown on a wide range of common and novel substrates (including GaN, Ga2O3, and monolayer two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD)) within the same chamber and thus under identical conditions by pulsed laser deposition. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy (HR-STEM) and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction measurements confirm the single-crystalline nature of the obtained NWs, whereas advanced optical and cathodoluminescence measurements provide evidence of their high optical quality. Further analyses reveal that the growth is initiated by an in situ polycrystalline layer formed between the NWs and substrates during growth, while as its thickness increases, the growth mode transforms into single-crystalline NW nucleation. HR-STEM and corresponding energy-dispersive X-ray compositional analyses indicate possible growth mechanisms. All samples exhibit strong band edge UV emission (with a negligible defect band) dominated by radiative recombination with a high optical efficiency (∼65%). As all NWs have similar structural and optical qualities irrespective of the substrate used, this strategy will open new horizons for developing III-nitride-based devices.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes syndrome: a case report from Nepal.

Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like syndrome (MELAS) is a rare neurodegenerative inherited disorder that is characterized by stroke-like episodes, seizures, endocrine, and multiple system involvement. It is important to consider it as a differential diagnosis in a young patient with stroke-like episodes as it is progressive and has multiple complications. Case presentation: A 28-year-old male presented with slurring of speech and drowsiness for 7 h. He was a diagnosed case of type 2 diabetes mellitus, Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, and bilateral hearing loss. Clinical findings and investigations: The patient had expressive aphasia with impaired fluency, repetition, and naming. After being discharged, he represented with loss of consciousness and involuntary movements of the whole body. MRI and MRS showed extension of hyperintense lesions to parieto-occipital regions from temporal regions not limited by vascular territories. MELAS was considered, which was confirmed by molecular genetic analysis. Coenzyme Q10 was used for MELAS. Insulin, Linagliptin, and levetiracetam were used for diabetes and seizures. Regular follow-up was advised to the patient.MELAS is an important syndrome to consider in any young patient presenting with unexplained stroke disorders. A high index of suspicion is needed in an appropriate clinical setting to avoid misdiagnosis.

Neuro-cryptococcosis in an immunocompetent individual with radiologically atypical findings: a case report and review of literature.

We present a case of a 29-year-old immunocompetent female without any known comorbidities with intermittent headache and vomiting who was ultimately diagnosed with cryptococcal meningitis (CM). Though her neuroimaging findings were atypical to those commonly found in CM, she was diagnosed with CM with a cryptococcal antigen test. However, in contrast to the good prognosis as stated in the literature, she died during her course stay at the hospital. Therefore, cryptococcosis should be taken as differentials, even in an immunocompetent individual presenting with features suggestive of meningitis, to prevent the worst clinical outcome.

Effect of Charge Localization on the Effective Hyperfine Interaction in Organic Semiconducting Polymers.

Hyperfine interaction (HFI), originating from the coupling between spins of charge carriers and nuclei, has been demonstrated to strongly influence the spin dynamics of localized charges in organic semiconductors. Nevertheless, the role of charge localization on the HFI strength in organic thin films has not yet been experimentally investigated. In this study, the statistical relation hypothesis that the effective HFI of holes in regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is proportional to 1/N^{0.5} has been examined, where N is the number of the random nuclear spins within the envelope of the hole wave function. First, by studying magnetoconductance in hole-only devices made by isotope-labeled P3HT we verify that HFI is indeed the dominant spin interaction in P3HT. Second, assuming that holes delocalize fully over the P3HT polycrystalline domain, the strength of HFI is experimentally demonstrated to be proportional to 1/N^{0.52} in excellent agreement with the statistical relation. Third, the HFI of electrons in P3HT is about 3 times stronger than that of holes due to the stronger localization of the electrons. Finally, the effective HFI in organic light emitting diodes is found to be a superposition of effective electron and hole HFI. Such a statistical relation may be generally applied to other semiconducting polymers. This Letter may provide great benefits for organic optoelectronics, chemical reaction kinetics, and magnetoreception in biology.