Surgical outcomes in patients with epilepsy after viral encephalitis: contribution of SEEG study.

BACKGROUND: Nowadays, few surgery analysis has been reported in cases of epilepsy after viral encephalitis(VE). Herein, this study was to evaluate the efficacy of surgery and capability of stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) in the definition of the epileptogenic zone (EZ) after VE, and also to explore the relationship between the SEEG features and the surgical outcomes. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 10 surgically treated patients that identified to suffer from epilepsy secondary to VE using SEEG, and investigated the SEEG features associated with surgical outcomes in these patients. Besides visual analysis, we used the epileptogenicity index (EI), a semi-quantitative and supplementary tool to evaluate the validity of SEEG in the context of VE. RESULTS: Among the 10 operated patients, 3 of them became completely seizure-free. The patients who got totally seizure free or significant improvement, the seizure onset was located either in the antero-mesial temporal structures or focal gyrus; patients who got worthwhile improvement or no improvement, the seizure started from multiple brain lobes. The number of electrodes classified as epileptogenic visually involved were closely correlated with EI positive onses.Anatomic areas defined and shown as EZ on MRI by visual assessment were also defined as epileptogenic by the EI in these cases. CONCLUSION: Apart from exploring the surgical outcome related to epilepsy after VE, we also bring insight into the relationship between the SEEG features and surgical outcome with the application of the supplementary methods.

Multiple Stereoelectroencephalography-Guided Radiofrequency Thermocoagulations for Polymicrogyria With Startle Seizures: A Case Report.

The best results of stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG)-guided radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RF-TC) were observed in epilepsies with more limited lesions, but this procedure is rarely used in a wide range of brain malformation. We report a rare case of polymicrogyria (PMG) combined with drug-resistant startle seizures. Presurgical monitoring was performed using SEEG owing to the large lesion and complexity of PMG. According to the intracranial electrode results, the seizure onset was extensive, with the onset starting earlier in the cingulate sulcus and insular pole than in other sites of the other electrodes. Multi-point and multi-step SEEG-guided RF-TC was used for diffuse lesion and functional protection. RF-TC was first applied to the cingulate sulcus and insular pole, and our patient was rendered free from startle seizures after 2 weeks. Two weeks of observation helped us to observe the efficacy of RF-TC and the changes of SEEG, so as to make the next TC scheme. The patient still had spontaneous seizures after the first treatment. RF-TC was then applied to other sites involved earlier. Finally, the patient reached Engel class IIa for a follow-up period of 1 year. There were no additional startle seizures, and important functional areas were protected.

[Effects of elevated O3 concentration and UV-B radiation on the chlorophyll content and active oxygen metabolism of soybean leaves].

Taking the soybean (Glycine max) cultivar Tiefeng 29 as test material, and by using open-top chamber, this paper studied the effects of elevated O3 concentration and UV-B radiation on the leaf chlorophyll content, lipid peroxidation, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production rate, anti-oxidation enzymes activities, and the grain yield. During the growth period of soybean, as compared with the control, the leaf Chl a, Chl b and Chl (a+b) contents under the stresses of O3 and UV-B had a decreasing trend, the relative electrical conductivity, malondialdehyde content, superoxide anion (O2) production rate, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) content increased, and the activities of superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase as well as the grain yield decreased. O3+ UV stress aggravated the leaf membrane lipid peroxidation, promoted the ROS production, and decreased the plant antioxidant capacity and leaf chlorophyll content. The negative effects of O3 stress on soybean leaves were more close to the impacts of O3+UV stress, suggesting that O3 might play an important role in the combined stress.