Epicardial adipose tissue dispersion at CT and recurrent atrial fibrillation after pulmonary vein isolation.

OBJECTIVES Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) remodeling is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). Left atrial (LA) EAT dispersion on cardiac CT is a non-invasive imaging biomarker reflecting EAT heterogeneity. We aimed to investigate the association of LA EAT dispersion with AF recurrence after pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). METHODS In a prospective registry of consecutive patients undergoing first PVI, mean EAT attenuation values were measured on contrast-enhanced cardiac CT scans in Hounsfield units (HU) within low (- 195 to - 45 HU) and high (- 44 to - 15 HU) threshold EAT compartments around the left atrium (LA). EAT dispersion was defined as the difference between the mean HU values within the two EAT compartments. Continuous variables were compared between groups using the Mann-Whitney U test and cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate hazard ratios of predictors of 1-year AF recurrence. RESULTS A total of 208 patients were included, 135 with paroxysmal AF and 73 with persistent AF. LA EAT dispersion was significantly larger in patients with persistent compared to paroxysmal AF (52.6 HU vs. 49.9 HU; p = 0.001). After 1 year of follow-up, LA EAT dispersion above the mean (> 50.8 HU) was associated with a higher risk of AF recurrence (HR 2.3, 95% CI 1.5-3.6; p < 0.001). It retained its predictive value when corrected for age, sex, body mass index, LA volume, and AF type (HR 2.8, 95% CI 1.6-4.6; p < 0.001). CONCLUSION A larger LA EAT dispersion on contrast-enhanced cardiac CT scans, reflecting EAT heterogeneity, is independently associated with AF recurrence after PVI. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT Based on LA EAT dispersion assessment, a more accurate risk stratification and patient selection may be possible based on a pre-procedural cardiac CT when planning PVI. KEY POINTS • Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) remodeling is associated with atrial fibrillation (AF). • A larger left atrial EAT dispersion in a pre-procedural cardiac CT was associated with a higher 1-year AF recurrence risk after pulmonary vein isolation. • A pre-procedural cardiac CT with left atrial EAT dispersion assessment may provide a more accurate risk stratification and patient selection for PVI

Separation of phthalates by cyclodextrin modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography: Quantitation in perfumes

A new CE method has been developed for the simultaneous separation of a group of parent phthalates. Due to the neutral character of these compounds, the addition of several bile salts as surfactants (sodium cholate (SC), sodium deoxycholate (SDC), sodium taurodeoxycholate (STDC), sodium taurocholate (STC)) to the separation buffer was explored showing the high potential of SDC as pseudostationary phase. However, the resolution of all the phthalates was not achieved when employing only this bile salt as additive, being necessary the addition of neutral cyclodextrins (CD) and organic modifiers to the separation media. The optimized cyclodextrin modified micellar electrokinetic chromatography (CD-MEKC) method consisted of the employ of a background electrolyte (BGE) containing 25 mM beta-CD-100 mM SDC in a 100 mM borate buffer (pH 8.5) with a 10% (v/v) of acetonitrile, employing a voltage of 30 kV and a temperature of 25 degrees C. This separation medium enabled the total resolution of eight compounds and the partial resolution of two of the analytes, di-n-octyl phthalate (DNOP) and diethyl hexyl phthalate (DEHP) (Rs similar to 0.8), in only 12 min. The analytical characteristics of the developed method were studied showing their suitability for the determination of these compounds in commercial perfumes. In all the analyzed perfumes the most common phthalate was diethyl phthalate (DEP) that appeared in ten of the fifteen analyzed products. Also dimethyl phthalate (DMP), diallyl phthalate (DAP), dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCP), and di-n-pentyl phthalate (DNPP) were found in some of the analyzed samples. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved

An overview of chemical additives present in plastics: Migration, release, fate and environmental impact during their use, disposal and recycling

Over the last 60 years plastics production has increased manifold, owing to their inexpensive, multipurpose, durable and lightweight nature. These characteristics have raised the demand for plastic materials that will continue to grow over the coming years. However, with increased plastic materials production, comes increased plastic material wastage creating a number of challenges, as well as opportunities to the waste management industry. The present overview highlights the waste management and pollution challenges, emphasising on the various chemical substances (known as “additives”) contained in all plastic products for enhancing polymer properties and prolonging their life. Despite how useful these additives are in the functionality of polymer products, their potential to contaminate soil, air, water and food is widely documented in literature and described herein. These additives can potentially migrate and undesirably lead to human exposure via e.g. food contact materials, such as packaging. They can, also, be released from plastics during the various recycling and recovery processes and from the products produced from recyclates. Thus, sound recycling has to be performed in such a way as to ensure that emission of substances of high concern and contamination of recycled products is avoided, ensuring environmental and human health protection, at all times

Scientific Opinion on the evaluation of the substances currently on the list in the annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils – Part III of III

Shipping of edible fats and oils into Europe is permitted in bulk tanks, in which substances, included in a positive list, had been previously transported. The European Commission requested EFSA to evaluate the list of substances in the Annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC as acceptable previous cargoes for edible fats and oils, taking into account its review of the Scientific Committee on Food criteria for acceptable previous cargoes and criteria proposed by the Codex Committee for Fats and Oils. This is the third and last scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Contaminants in the Food Chain (CONTAM Panel) on this topic, in which sixteen of these substances or groups of substances have been evaluated. The CONTAM Panel concluded that sodium silicate (water glass) solution, iso-octanol, iso-nonanol, iso-decanol, 1,3-propanediol, isobutyl acetate, sec-butyl acetate, tert-butyl acetate, n-butyl acetate, propylene tetramer, paraffin wax, candelilla wax, white mineral oils and glycerol would not be of health concern as previous cargoes. The CONTAM Panel concluded that carnauba wax was not acceptable as a previous cargo because of its insolubility in water and high melting point, which raise concerns regarding the efficiency of tank cleaning. There was insufficient information available on the composition of montan wax for the CONTAM Panel to conclude that it would be of no health concern when used as previous cargo and hence it does not meet the criteria for acceptability as previous cargo. The CONTAM Panel made several recommendations regarding the way in which the substances are described in the Annex to Commission Directive 96/3/EC, to correct inaccuracies and to better reflect current transport practices