Our initial experience demonstrated safety and short-term efficacy of IA using a new IgG3-specific tryptophan column for patients with advanced HF due to DCM. Long-term follow-up is needed to confirm the effects on cardiac function and morbidity/mortality in such patients.

Calcium overload plays a key role in the development of atrial electrical remodeling. The effect of an L-type Ca channel blocker in preventing this remodeling has been reported to be short lasting, partly due to down-regulation of this channel and persisting Ca entry through the T-type Ca channel. To prove if efonidipine, a dual L- and T-type Ca channel blocker exerts a greater effect than an L-type Ca channel blocker verapamil, 21 dogs underwent rapid atrial pacing at 400 bpm for 14 days, pretreatment with efonidipine in 7 (E), verapamil in 7 (V), and none in 7 (C). We measured the atrial effective refractory period (ERP) serially during 14 days of rapid pacing. In response to rapid pacing, ERP decreased progressively in C. In contrast, in E and V, ERP remained greater than ERP in C (P < 0.01) on days 2 through 7. However, on the 14th day, ERP in V decreased to the level seen in C, whereas ERP in E remained significantly longer than ERPs in C or V (P < 0.01). The blockade L-type Ca channel alone is not sufficient, but the addition of a T-type Ca channel blockade shows a more sustained effect to prevent atrial electrical remodeling.

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A 3D packaging technology has been developed for 4 Gbit DRAM. Highly-doped poly-Si through-silicon vias (TSVs) are used for vertical traces inside silicon and interconnection between DRAM chips to realize a DRAM compatible process. Through optimization of the process conditions and layout design, fast poly-Si filling has been obtained. The entire packaging was carried out at the wafer level by using the socalled SMAFTI technology. A new bump and wiring structure for feedthrough interposer (FTI) has also been developed for fine-pitch and low-cost bonding. Simulation of the transfer function of FTI wiring indicated a 3 Gbps/pin data transfer capability.

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