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This letter, published in the journal Neurological Sciences, presents a case report of primary neurolymphomatosis (NL) initially manifesting as cubital tunnel syndrome. NL is a rare condition characterized by lymphomatous infiltration of the cranial nerves and peripheral nerve roots, plexuses, or nerves. The patient in this case was a 64-year-old man who experienced muscle weakness and numbness in his left upper limb. After various examinations and tests, including nerve conduction studies, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and 18-Fluoro-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET), the patient was diagnosed with primary NL of the left ulnar and brachial plexuses. The patient underwent chemotherapy and achieved remission, with no recurrence observed 48 months after onset. The authors emphasize the importance of careful assessment of symptoms and the use of FDG-PET and MRI for accurate diagnosis and appropriate biopsy site selection. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The relationship between transesophageal echocardiography findings and cognitive function. Objective: This study aimed to establish an association between transesophageal echocardiography findings and cognitive function in stroke survivors. Methods: A single-center study was conducted between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2022. All subjects that were included had a past history of ischemic stroke and were admitted after >21 days from onset. The participants underwent cognitive function tests including a Mini-Mental State Examination, Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale, Frontal Assessment Battery, and transesophageal echocardiography. Results: The results of 126 participants were analyzed. The cognitive function of participants with a spontaneous echo contrast (+) in the left atrium including appendage or of those with an aorta-arch plaque with a maximum thickness ≥4 mm significantly worse while neither the patent foramen ovale nor the branch extending plaque influenced cognitive function (The median cognitive scores of the spontaneous echo contrast (–) versus (+) were 26 versus 22, p < 0.01**, 26 versus 21, p < 0.001***, and 14 versus 11, p < 0.01**. Those of the aortic-arch plaque max thickness (<4 mm) versus (≥4 mm) were 26 versus 25, p < 0.05*, 27 versus 24, p < 0.05*, and 15 versus 13, p < 0.05*). Conclusion: Our findings show that spontaneous echo contrast in the left atrium and aortic-arch atheroma detected by transesophageal echocardiography, were negatively associated with cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The relationship between transesophageal echocardiography findings and cognitive function.Objective: This study aimed to establish an association between transesophageal echocardiography findings and cognitive function in stroke survivors.Methods: A single-center study was conducted between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2022. All subjects that were included had a past history of ischemic stroke and were admitted after >21 days from onset. The participants underwent cognitive function tests including a Mini-Mental State Examination, Revised Hasegawa Dementia Scale, Frontal Assessment Battery, and transesophageal echocardiography.Results: The results of 126 participants were analyzed. The cognitive function of participants with a spontaneous echo contrast (+) in the left atrium including appendage or of those with an aorta-arch plaque with a maximum thickness ≥4 mm significantly worse while neither the patent foramen ovale nor the branch extending plaque influenced cognitive function (The median cognitive scores of the spontaneous echo contrast (-) versus (+) were 26 versus 22, p < 0.01 **, 26 versus 21, p < 0.001 ***, and 14 versus 11, p < 0.01 **. Those of the aortic-arch plaque max thickness (<4 mm) versus (≥4 mm) were 26 versus 25, p < 0.05 *, 27 versus 24, p < 0.05 *, and 15 versus 13, p < 0.05 *).Conclusion: Our findings show that spontaneous echo contrast in the left atrium and aortic-arch atheroma detected by transesophageal echocardiography, were negatively associated with cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is important to gauge mortality in real time following an ischemic stroke. However, there is limited in-hospital and post-discharge clinical data that focuses on the real-time prognosis of acute ischemic strokes. Purpose: To comprehensively analyze ischemic stroke mortality during a hospital stay and 1 year after the onset of a stroke. Materials and methods: Initially, 1514 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients were admitted to our facility within 7 days after the onset of a stroke. Of these, 1116 patients who were successfully surveyed 1 year after onset were finally analyzed. Baseline, physical, laboratory, and stroke clinical data were recorded and analyzed. Results: The proportion of deaths within 1 year was 14.5%, 4.9% without discharge was and 9.6% after discharge within 1 year. Cardioembolic ischemic strokes were responsible for nearly 50% of the deaths within 1 year while the remaining deaths were due to non-cardioembolic ischemic strokes. After 1 year, survival rate in the hospital decreased significantly, depending on whether the stroke was recurrent or if there was bleeding without a stroke. Conclusions: Our study reveals the real-time survival data 1 year after the onset of a stroke, in-hospital and post-discharge mortality rates, and several issues associated with the treatment of acute ischemic strokes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Multiple embolic sources are sometimes observed simultaneously in patients with embolic stroke. The present study investigated the effects of coexisting aortic arch atheroma ≥ 4 mm thick and atrial fibrillation (AF) on short-term stroke recurrence and functional outcome. Methods: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) was performed in consecutive embolic stroke patients, and 395 patients were classified into 4 groups according to the presence of aortic arch atheroma ≥ 4 mm thick and AF: AF − /ARCH − group, AF + /ARCH − group, AF − /ARCH + group, and AF + /ARCH + group. In accordance with these 4 groups, we evaluated stroke recurrence and all-cause death for 3 months after stroke onset, and also evaluated the 3-month functional outcome using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). Results: Among the 128 AF patients, 39.1% also had aortic arch atheroma ≥ 4 mm thick. Of the 395 enrolled cases, the AF + /ARCH + group showed the highest frequencies of stroke recurrence and all-cause death during 3 months after onset. On multivariate analysis, stroke recurrence or all-cause death during 3 months after onset was relatively more frequent in the AF + /ARCH + group than in the AF + /ARCH − group (OR, 2.34; 95% CI, 0.82–6.69; p = 0.11), but that was not statistically significant, and poor functional outcome (mRS score 3–6) at 3 months was significantly more frequent in the AF + /ARCH + group than in the AF + /ARCH − group (OR, 2.59; 95% CI, 1.08–6.24; p = 0.0339). Conclusions: Aortic arch atheroma concomitant with AF is not rare and appears associated with increased risks of stroke recurrence and poor functional outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although the relationship between amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) is important, data relating to CSM complications in ALS remain lacking. Purpose: We aimed to investigate and validate the spinal cord conditions of ALS patients. Materials and methods: We recruited all patients diagnosed with ALS, Parkinson's disease (PD), or chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) who were admitted to our department from April 1, 2017, to March 31, 2020. We analyzed the cervical or thoracolumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of these 128 patients. Data relating to spondylosis, cord compression, spinal canal diameter, spinal cord diameter, and the closest distance between the cervical spinal canal and cord were validated using MRI. Results: Of the 128 patients, 52 had ALS, 48 had PD, and 28 had CIDP. The proportions of both cervical spondylosis and cervical cord compression were highest in the ALS group compared with the other patient groups (p < 0.05). The proportion of cervical spondylosis in ALS patients reached 38.3%, and that of cervical cord compression reached 53.2%. The closest distance between the cervical spinal canal and cord was also significantly smaller in ALS patients compared with CIDP patients (p < 0.05). In contrast to the cervical cord findings, there were no significant differences in the thoracolumbar cord between ALS patients and the other patient groups. Conclusions: Of the three disease groups, the proportion of CSM was highest in ALS patients. Furthermore, cervical cord conditions were significantly more crowded in the ALS patients than in the other patient groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Many issues persist in the today's Alzheimer's disease (AD) screening and the breakthrough method is desired.Objective: We aim to validate the association between venous reflux and AD, and to develop a new method for AD screening.Methods: We examined spontaneous echo contrast, area, diameter, retrograde velocity, and anterograde velocity of the bilateral cervical internal jugular vein (IJV) using carotid ultrasonography.Results: A total of 112 patients participated in this study, with 26 diagnosed as AD. The proportion of both or either IJV spontaneous echo contrast (+) occupied 25 of total 26 AD patients, which showed 96.2%of sensitivity and 98.5%negative predictive value. The IJV velocities also showed significant correlation with AD diagnosis, although the IJV area or diameter did not.Conclusion: Our results indicate that the validation of the spontaneous echo contrast or velocities of the IJV are convenient AD diagnosis screening methods and that the venous reflux disturbance correlates with AD development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The treatment of ischemic stroke has recently witnessed dramatic developments. However, there are limited data on ischemic stroke characteristics in aged patients. As part of the South Tochigi Acute Ischemic Stroke Registry, we prospectively enrolled 636 consecutive acute ischemic stroke patients (within 7 days after the onset) who were ≥ 60 years of age and who were admitted to two independent institutes from April 1, 2016 to February 28, 2019. We analyzed three groups divided by age: early-aged (60–69 years), middle-aged (70–79 years), and oldest-aged (≥ 80 years). From the 636 subjects, 194 were early-aged, 215 were middle-aged, and 227 were oldest-aged. There were significant differences in the ischemic stroke subtypes in each aging group (p < 0.01). The proportion of cardioembolism was 22.2% in early-aged, 27.4% in middle-aged, and 41.4% in the oldest-aged patients. The proportion of patients with a modified Rankin Scale of 0–2 at 1 year after onset decreased to 42.2% in middle-aged and 17.8% in oldest-aged with cardioembolic ischemic stroke. The proportion of patients receiving anticoagulation therapy before admission was 25.6% (36.7% of atrial fibrillation [AF]) in early-aged, 39.0% (52.3% of AF) in middle-aged, and 18.1% (21.0% of AF) in oldest-aged patients (p < 0.001). Our study reports characteristics of clinical ischemic stroke in an aging population. The assessment of cardiogenic embolism is important for an aging population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation is a syndrome of reversible encephalopathy with cerebral amyloid angiopathy, however the pathology is not well understood. We clear a part of the pathology through the first case of an 80-year-old man with cerebral amyloid angiopathy-related inflammation induced by relapsing polychondritis (RP) analysis. An 80-year-old man was diagnosed with RP by auricular cartilage biopsy. Almost no abnormality including intracranial microbleeding was detected by cranial magnetic resonance image (MRI) at diagnosis. However, he developed a headache and hallucination after five months. Seven-month cranial MRI showed novel, multiple, intracranial microbleeding, especially in the bilateral but asymmetry posterior, temporal, and parietal lobes. 123I-N-isopropyl-p-iodoamphetamine single-photon emission computed tomography showed increased cerebral blood flow in the bilateral posterior lobes. After treatment, both of his neurological symptoms and increased cerebral blood flow improved to mild. Photon emission computed tomography using Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) for evaluation of brain amyloidosis at 12 months after onset showed an amyloid deposit in the bilateral frontal lobes, but a lack of uptake corresponded to the RP lesions. Our case suggests that inflammation coupled with an amyloid deposit, induced the multiple intracranial bleeding, and resulted in the lack of PiB uptake. Findings from our case show that inflammation including excess blood flow coupled with an amyloid deposit synergistically facilitate intracranial bleeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recurrent bacterial meningitis is not a frequent clinical condition. We describe here the case of a woman with recurrent pneumococcal meningitis caused by the leakage of CSF due to an occult middle fossa encephalocele related to chronic otitis media. To detect an extremely small encephalocele, detailed evaluation by bone CT and RI cisternography are very useful. In the treatment of recurrent bacterial meningitis, clinicians should examine for the presence of a small encephalocele early and perform an appropriate surgical therapy, because the condition could be fatal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome with stroke is very rare in puerperal women. A 36-year-old nulliparous woman with both rheumatoid arthritis and recurrent pregnancy loss, probably due to a high titer of anti-phospholipid IgM antibody, was referred at 10 weeks of gestation. Low-dose aspirin at 100 mg/day and heparin calcium subcutaneous injection at 10,000 units/day were started before pregnancy and stopped at 35+6 and 40+2 weeks, respectively. She transabdominally delivered a male infant weighing 3,344 g at 40+5 weeks. A tonic-clonic seizure abruptly occurred without either hypertension or proteinuria 5 days after delivery. Intracerebral hemorrhage involving an area of 2 cm in diameter in the right frontal lobe and subarachnoid hemorrhage with PRES were confirmed. Seizure recurred 2 days after the initial episode. She showed severe headache and mild disturbance of consciousness but no neurological findings. We suggested that a high titer of anti-phospholipid IgM antibody might be associated with stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osmotic swelling behaviors in layered perovskite niobate were examined in aqueous solutions containing three types of amine-related agents including quaternary ammonium hydroxides and tertiary aminoethanol. Platelet microcrystals of a protonated layered perovskite niobate, HCa2Nb3O10·1.5H2O, were found to show enormous swelling in the aqueous solutions, which was clearly recognized by the noticeable expansion of the sample volume over 100-fold. Optical microscopy observations revealed that the crystals underwent accordion-like elongation in the layer-stacking direction up to several ten-fold the initial thickness. Small-angle X-ray scattering measurements of swollen samples indicate the expansion of interlayer separation ranging from ∼20 nm to over 100 nm, which is primarily governed by the concentrations of the amine-related agents. The magnitudes of the interlayer separation were comparable to those of the macroscopic swelling. The degree of swelling was progressively suppressed with further increasing concentration, and this suppression trend was related to the amines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marfan syndrome is known to cause aneurysm and dissection of the aorta and cerebral artery. Although there are many reports of dissection of the aorta, there are few of intracranial artery dissection. We report a 32‐year‐old man with Marfan syndrome. He was presented to our hospital with sudden left hemiparesis and dysarthria. The initial diffusion‐weighted image revealed high‐intensity lesions in the right corona radiata. Magnetic resonance angiography revealed the disruption of the blood flow signal in the proximal M1 portion of the right middle cerebral artery. The clinical course of acute occlusion and gradual recanalization was confirmed, and we diagnosed the dissection of the right middle cerebral artery. Anticoagulant therapy was started, and the neurological symptoms disappeared about 1 week after the onset. In Marfan syndrome, dissection of the intracranial cerebral artery is rare, so further investigation is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertical gaze palsy is rarely a neurological symptom, although it has been observed in some cases. Here, we report the case of a patient presenting with complete upward and downward gaze palsy. In this case, a small lesion in the left rostral midbrain was observed on diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance (MR) images, and the lesion was considered to cause the ocular symptom. We consider that vertical gaze palsy is an important clue to an accurate topical diagnosis of a brain lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platelet crystals of a layered perovskite showed massive accordion-like swelling in a tetrabutylammonium hydroxide solution. The permeation of the solution induced the huge expansion of the interlayer spacing as well as the crystal thickness up to 50-fold, leading to a very high water content of ＞90 wt%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke-like episode represents a clinical hallmark of mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes. Mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis, and stroke-like episodes are usually suspected based on clinical symptoms, such as lactic acidosis, deafness, diabetes, short stature, myopathy, and cognitive decline, often with a maternal inheritance pattern of family history. We describe an elderly woman with recurrent stroke-like episodes, who had only a faint concomitant signs, but no family history of mitochondrial disease. Sequence analysis of the mitochondrial genome extracted from biopsied muscle showed a heteroplasmic 10158T>C mutation in the mitochondrial complex I subunit gene, MT- ND3. This is the first adult-onset case harboring the m.10158T>C mutation, which is known to cause lethal infant-onset Leigh syndrome. The unique manifestations of sporadic, elderly-onset, and isolated stroke-like episodes suggest that it is an important differential diagnosis for ischemic stroke and extend the clinical and mutational spectrum of mitochondrial stroke-like episodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alkali-metal ion extraction ability of an inert material, polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE; empirical formula CF2), was clarified by characterizing a partially alkali-metal ion-extracted layered compound, K0.8(Li0.27Ti1.73)O4. Washing K0.8(Li0.27Ti1.73)O4 in water extracts only 44% of the interlayer K+ and no intralayer Li+; on the other hand, 53% of the interlayer K+ and approximately 10% of the intralayer Li+ ions were extracted from K0.8(Li0.27Ti1.73)O4 by the reaction with PTFE at 350 °C under flowing Ar. A systematic decrease in the lattice parameters a and c along the intralayer directions and an increase in b along the interlayer direction were observed, consistent with the alkali-metal ion deintercalation amount as a function of the reaction temperatures and the reacted PTFE amounts. After the reaction with K0.8(Li0.27Ti1.73)O4 : CF2 = 1 : 0.6 in mol, the lattice parameter b increased to 1.5607(3) nm from 1.5522(2) of the pristine K0.8(Li0.27Ti1.73)O4, and this change in the lattice parameter was approximately one order of magnitude larger than those in a and c. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the basic requirements for attaining a good epitaxy is a close structural matching between a substrate and a growing crystal epilayer. This restrictive requirement causes a major obstacle for its wide application to a range of functional crystal films in electronic, magnetic or optical devices. One approach for overcoming this problem is the so-called van der Waals epitaxy (VDWE) method, which can effectively implement the epitaxy of various crystals on cleaved faces of layered materials having no dangling bonds. The weak adatom–substrate interaction without directional covalent bonding plays a crucial role in the initial stage of VDWE, which drastically relaxes the lattice matching limitation. However, the method requires special materials for use as a substrate, thereby meaning that its applicability is limited. In this study, the concept is extended to the two-dimensional (2D) lattice of inorganic nanosheets, which are molecularly thin 2D crystals produced via artificial exfoliation of layered metal oxides. The nanosheets can neatly cover the surface of conventional substrates such as glass via a facile solution-based process. Similar to the above-mentioned cleaved faces of layered materials, such substrates can promote VDWE-like crystal growth because of their dangling bond-free nature. Based on this principle, we have demonstrated a selective deposition of highly textured (100), (110) and (111) SrTiO3 films, a fundamentally important archetype of functional crystals, on glass substrates covered with single-layer nanosheets with suitable 2D periodicities as a trigger for VDWE-like film growth. The rich varieties of nanosheet structures and their facile deposition onto almost any kinds of substrates provide a significant advantage, expanding potential applications for a range of devices based on functional crystal films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La-Eu solid solution nanosheets La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 have been synthesized, and their photoluminescence properties have been investigated. La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 nanosheets were prepared from layered perovskite compounds Li2La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 as the precursors by soft chemical exfoliation reactions. Both the precursors and the exfoliated nanosheets exhibit a decrease in intralayer lattice parameters as the Eu contents increase. However, there is a discontinuity in this trend between the nominal Eu content ranges x ⩽ 0.3 and x ⩾ 0.4. This discontinuity is attributed to the difference in degree of TaO6 octahedra tilting for the La- and Eu-rich phases. La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 nanosheets exhibit red emission, characteristic of the f-f transitions in Eu3+ photoactivators. The photoluminescence emission can be obtained from both host and direct photoactivator excitation. However, photoluminescence emission through host excitation is much more dominant than that through direct photoactivator excitation, and this behavior is consistent with that of all the other rare-earth photoactivated nanosheets reported previously. The absolute photoluminescence quantum efficiency of the La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 nanosheets increases as the experimentally determined Eu contents increase up to x = 0.45 and decrease above it. This result is in good agreement with the optimum photoactivator concentration expected from the percolation theory. These solid solution La2/3-xEuxTa2O7 nanosheets are excellent models for validating the theory of optimum photoactivator concentration in the truly two-dimensional photoactivator matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Layered d-metal pnictide oxides are a unique class of compounds which consist of characteristic d-metal pnictide layers and metal oxide layers. More than 100 of these layered compounds, including the recently discovered Fe-based superconducting pnictide oxides, can be classified into nine structure types. These structure types and the chemical and physical properties of the characteristic d-metal pnictide layers and metal oxide layers of the layered d-metal pnictide oxides are reviewed and discussed. Furthermore, possible approaches to design new superconductors based on these layered d-metal pnictide oxides are proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Delirium has several causes,[1] with stroke being one of the most frequent.[2] Previous studies have reported that delirium occurs in about 10%-40% of stroke patients.[3] Insomnia is also common following stroke, as it occurs in about 30%-50% of stroke patients.[[4]] However, most previous reports[[4], [6]] that examined delirium or insomnia following stroke did not focus on the relation between management of delirium or insomnia and stroke. Our data indicate that delirium and insomnia management are common components of acute stroke therapy, especially in older patients. We speculate that one of the reasons why the lack of insomnia management was related to higher mortality was that the stroke patients who required insomnia management had a tendency of preserving the brain function. [Extracted from the article]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed high-intensity lesions in the centrum semiovale on both hemispheres on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) images (Figure 1(A,B)). A venous ultrasonography examination showed deep vein thrombosis (DVT) in the bilateral soleus veins. [Extracted from the article]

Static encephalopathy of childhood with neurodegeneration in adulthood (SENDA) is an X-linked dominant neurodegenerative disorder, and is classified as a subtype of neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation. Recently, de novo heterozygous mutations in WDR45 at Xp11.23 have been reported in patients with SENDA. We report the clinical and neuroradiological findings of a patient with SENDA with a novel c.322del mutation in WDR45. In this patient, characteristic MRI findings were useful for diagnosis. © 2014 The Authors. American Journal of Medical Genetics published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dielectric properties of KCa2Nan-3NbnO3n+1 (n=3–6) Dion–Jacobson homologous series have been investigated. The dielectric constants ([variant_greek_epsilon]) increase with the number of octahedral units (n), and the n=6 compound (KCa2Na3Nb6O19) exhibits a stable dielectric response with [variant_greek_epsilon]=∼500 between 1 kHz and 1 MHz. This n-dependent behavior is similar to those observed in other layered perovskites such as Ruddlesden–Popper and Aurivillius phases. Raman scattering studies reveal that increase in n in KCa2Nan-3NbnO3n+1 leads to higher polarizability of the lattice and softening of the lowest-frequency phonon mode, which is responsible for the observed enhancement in [variant_greek_epsilon] with n. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epitaxial thin films of ABO3 (A =Ca, Sr; B = 3d, 4d transition metal) were fabricated on a (100)-SrTiO3 substrate by spin coating an organic metal and subjecting it to successive heat treatments. Results of X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy indicate that the growth is pseudomorphic and the [001] axis of the ABO3 film is perpendicular to the (100) plane of the SrTiO3 substrate and that its pseudocubic axes align parallel to the cubic axes of the SrTiO3 crystal. Epitaxial ABO3 thin films have similar transport and magnetic properties to those of bulk materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cases of central nervous system (CNS) disorders manifesting peripheral type facial palsy are rare. We report a 70‐year‐old man with a small infarct of the pontine tegmentum who presented with acute‐onset peripheral facial palsy. In the case of infarction in this area, combined symptoms of peripheral facial palsy and abducens nerve palsy are often found, but peripheral facial palsy may occur as the only symptom as in our present case. In the differential diagnosis of peripheral facial nerve palsy, we should also consider the possibility of stroke such as pontine tegmentum infarction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the case of a patient with multiple sclerosis who had spinal cord lesions relapsing as many as eight times in 3 years. Fingolimod was markedly efficacious for frequently relapsing spinal cord lesions with open‐ring enhancement. The marked effect of fingolimod on the present patient should be examined further to determine whether the efficacy of fingolimod differs depending on the site and size of lesions, and the enhancement pattern of lesions on magnetic resonance imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a solution-based fabrication of perovskite multilayers and superlattices using perovskite nanosheets. Perovskite nanosheets (LaNb2O7, Ca2Nb3O10, and Sr2Nb3O10) were prepared by delaminating layered perovskites. A layer-by-layer approach using Langmuir–Blodgett deposition was effective for fabricating high-quality nanofilms of perovskite nanosheets on various substrates, such as quartz glass, Si, and SrRuO3. Structural characterizations by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that these perovskite nanofilms are composed of a well-ordered lamellar structure with an atomically sharp interface. The multilayer films exhibited a stable dielectric response inherent to the perovskite nanosheet. We also found that the superlattices of (LaNb2O7/Ca2Nb3O10)5 and (Sr2Nb3O10/Ca2Nb3O10)5 possess strong interface coupling, which gives rise to enhanced dielectric constant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated dielectric properties of La1-xEuxNb2O7 perovskite nanosheets in order to study the effect of A-site modification on dielectric properties. Langmuir–Blodgett deposition was employed to fabricate multilayer nanofilms of perovskite nanosheets. In these nanosheets, A-site modification with Eu3+ ions improves the leakage current characteristics and, at the same time, reduces permittivity. The slight modification with Eu3+ ions in La0.95Nb2O7 nanosheets causes a 50% reduction in εr value. We also discuss the high-κ properties of La0.95Nb2O7 nanosheets by performing detailed investigations based on first-principles calculations and interfacial structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a solution-based approach for fabricating perovskite nanofilms using a La0.95Nb2O7 perovskite nanosheet, a two-dimensional nanomaterial prepared by delaminating layered perovskite KLa0.95Nb2O7 into single-molecule-thick sheets. A layer-by-layer approach using Langmuir–Blodgett deposition was effective for fabricating uniform and highly dense nanofilms of perovskite nanosheets on an atomically flat SrRuO3 substrate. Structural analysis using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that these films are composed of a well-ordered lamellar structure without an interfacial dead layer. The nanofilms showed stable dielectric response with εr ≃45 for thickness even down to 6 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Chemistry of layered d-metal pnictide oxides and their potential as candidates for new superconductors," by Tadashi C. Ozawa and Susan M. Kauzlarich, that appeared in a previous issue is presented.