[Validation Study on Migration Test for Plastic Food Utensils, Containers, and Packaging].

Migration test of food utensils, containers, and packaging is an important test method for confirming the safety and their compliance to the standards. However, there is little report on inter-laboratory study which was performed to evaluate the entire migration test, including migration operations and quantification. An interlaboratory study was performed participating 22 laboratories using 8 types of model synthetic resin samples containing 10 substances with a wide range of Log Pow values to evaluate the accuracy of the entire migration test. As a result, most of HorRat (r) values met the target criteria (0.3

Characteristics of the conduction of the left atrium in atrial fibrillation using non-contact mapping.

BACKGROUND: We evaluated the conduction properties of the posterior left atrium (LA) using a non-contact mapping (NCM) system as well as the significance of linear ablation at the roof of the posterior LA (LA roof) and inferior region of the posterior LA (LA bottom). METHODS AND RESULTS: In 133 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) (83 paroxysmal type, 50 persistent/long-lasting persistent type), we performed complete isolation of the posterior LA including pulmonary veins (Box isolation) using NCM. Isochronal activation maps were analyzed during sinus rhythm (SR), during pacing from the proximal coronary sinus (CS), and during pacing within the posterior LA before and after ablation. In sinus rhythm, horizontal conduction along the LA roof line, but not into the posterior LA wall, was observed in 59% of the patients. During paroxysmal CS pacing, horizontal conduction along the LA bottom line was observed in 69% of the patients. Posterior wall pacing conducted vertically over the LA roof and bottom lines in 98% and 83% of the patients, respectively. During AF, rotor wave conduction into the posterior LA through the LA roof and bottom lines was observed in 85% of the patients. Heterogeneous conduction directions in the posterior LA at the LA roof and bottom lines were observed in 60% of the patients. CONCLUSIONS: Heterogeneous conduction was observed at the roof and inferior region of the posterior LA in most of these AF patients. The conduction properties of the posterior LA are affected by the direction of the wavefronts, and this may play an important role in the initiation and maintenance of AF. The complete isolation of the posterior LA may prevent AF.

A new approach for complete isolation of the posterior left atrium including pulmonary veins for atrial fibrillation.

INTRODUCTION: Esophageal injury is a potential complication after catheter ablation of the posterior left atrium (LA). Therefore, we describe a new approach for complete isolation of the posterior LA including all pulmonary veins (PVs) without vertical lesions along the esophageal aspect of the posterior LA, namely Box isolation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ninety-one patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) underwent Box isolation. Continuous lesions at the anterior portions of the ipsilateral PVs were initially created and then linear ablation of LA roof and bottom was performed to isolate the posterior LA. Continuous vertical lesions at the posterior portions of PVs along the esophageal aspect of the posterior LA were not created. Ablation was performed with an 8-mm-tip catheter. The endpoint was the absence of electrical activity and the inability to pace the posterior LA and all PVs in sinus rhythm. Complete isolation of the posterior LA was achieved in 82 patients (90%). Ablation resulted in the termination of AF in 65%, and subsequent noninducibility of AF in 71% of the patients. A repeat ablation was performed in six of nine patients with recurrence of arrhythmia. At 13 +/- 3 months of follow-up, 86 patients (95%) were arrhythmia-free without antiarrhythmic drugs. CONCLUSION: This study shows that it is possible to achieve complete isolation of the posterior LA including all PVs without posterior vertical lesions. Box isolation is associated with a high clinical success rate.