Use of benzodiazepines in patients with status epilepticus requiring second-line antiseizure medication treatment.

Background: Status epilepticus (SE) is a life-threatening state that needs rapid and adequate treatment. Benzodiazepines (BZD) are used as a first-line treatment for SE, and if the desired effect is not achieved, second-line antiseizure medications are used.

Objective: To investigate whether the treatment with BZDs is performed adequately in patients with different subtypes of SE requiring second-line ASM treatment and, if not, to identify the factors influencing the suboptimal treatment.

Changes in Response Inhibition, Visual Anticipation and Verbal Fluency During Vagus Nerve Stimulation Therapy in Patients With Drug-Resistant Epilepsy.

Background: The effect of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on cognitive domain of attention and executive functions (AEFs) has not been extensively researched. This study was set up to investigate performance variability on cognitive tests assessing AEFs in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE) patients receiving VNS therapy during a follow-up of up to 5 years.

Methods: Thirty-three DRE patients were assessed with the interference, maze, and written verbal fluency tests as a part of EpiTrack screening before and after VNS implantation through repeated follow-ups according to the clinical VNS protocol.

Clinical performance of two commercially available rapid antigen tests for influenza, RSV, and SARS-CoV-2 diagnostics.

Unlabelled: Rapid antigen tests (RATs) might provide rapid, low-cost, and easy-to-perform choice to nucleic-acid amplification methods (NAAT) in point-of-care (POC) diagnostics of respiratory infections. The clinical performance of two commercial combo-RATs for influenza A and B, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) POC diagnostics, was assessed. RAT and real-time-PCR (RT-PCR) analysis were performed on 620 patients admitted to the emergency department due to respiratory symptoms.

Epilepsy care pathway: The Finnish model.

Objective: Integrated care pathways are essential for consistent, effective epilepsy care, offering equal access and quality regardless of socioeconomic status. They must align with the WHO Global Action Plan on Epilepsy, ensuring best practices and cost-effective management. We describe the Finnish national epilepsy care pathway, which includes multiple levels of care, from initial diagnosis to long-term care for all types of epilepsy, with a specific focus on rare and complex cases integrated with the European Reference Network (ERN) for Rare and Complex Epilepsies EpiCARE.

An experimental and computational study of the unimolecular-decay reaction of diethyl-substituted Criegee intermediate (CH)COO.

We have performed direct kinetic measurements to determine the thermal unimolecular-decay rate coefficient of (CH)COO as a function of temperature (223-296 K) and pressure (4-100 torr) using time-resolved UV-absorption spectroscopy. The stabilised (CH)COO Criegee intermediate was produced by photolysing 3-bromo-3-iodopentane ((CH)CIBr) with 213 nm radiation in the presence of O. We performed quantum-chemistry calculations and master-equation simulations to complement the experimental work.