The lithium ion binary room-temperature molten salt ͑i.e., ionic liquid͒, LiEMIBF 4 was prepared by mixing 1-ethyl-3methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate (EMIBF 4 ) with LiBF 4 . The ionic conductivity of LiEMIBF 4 was 7.4 mS cm Ϫ1 at 20°C and lower than that of EMIBF 4 . A solidified LiEMIBF 4 , named GLiEMIBF 4 , was prepared by in situ polymerization of poly͑ethyl-eneglycol͒ diacrylate with LiEMIBF 4 . The ionic conductivity of the homogeneous transparent membrane obtained was smaller than that of LiEMIBF 4 . The thermal decomposition temperatures of these ''ionic media'' measured by thermogravimetrydifferential thermal analysis showed that LiEMIBF 4 and GLiEMIBF 4 have high thermal stability around 300°C. The cathodic limit of EMIBF 4 was ca. 1.1 V vs. Li/Li ϩ measured by linear sweep voltammetry. To test the possibility of use of these ionic media for lithium-ion batteries, demonstration cells of Li͓Li 1/3 Ti 5/3 ͔O 4 /LiEMIBF 4 or GLiEMIBF 4 /LiCoO 2 were assembled. The capacity retention after 50 cycles was 93.8% of the initial capacity in the LiEMIBF 4 cell. Discharge potential profile of the GLiEMIBF 4 cell showed decline probably due to the concentration polarization in the gelled electrolyte. Liquid and gelled electrolytes composed of ''lithium ion coexisting room-temperature molten salt'' are shown to function as nonflammable electrolytes in the lithium-ion batteries.

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Our recent research effort has been focused on new top coating-free 193nm immersion resists with regard to leaching of the resist components and lithographic performance. We have examined methacrylate-based resins that control the surface properties of ArF resists thin films by surface segregation behavior. For a better understanding of the surface properties of thin films, we prepared the six resins (Resin 1-6) that have three types fluorine containing monomers, a new monomer (Monomer A), Monomer B and Monomer C, respectively. We blended the base polymer (Resin 0) with Resin (1-6), respectively. We evaluated contact angles, surface properties and lithographic performances of the polymer blend resists. The static and receding contact angles of the resist that contains Resin (1-6) are greater than that of the base polymer (Resin 0) resist. The chemical composition of the surface of blend polymers was investigated with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It was shown that there was significant segregation of the fluorine containing resins to the surface of the blend films. We analyzed Quantitative Structure-Property Relationships (QSPR) between the surface properties and the chemical composition of the surface of polymer blend resists. The addition of 10 wt% of the polymer (Resin 1-6) to the base polymer (Resin 0) did not influence the lithographic performance. Consequently, the surface properties of resist thin films can be tailored by the appropriate choice of fluorine containing polymer blends.

We evaluated the availability of original ''sandwich plasty'' for the treatment of functional mitral regurgitation (FMR) associated with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and aortic valve disease (AVD). Forty-three patients were reviewed, including 27 IHD patients and 16 AVD patients. Preoperatively severe FMR was detected in 14 patients, moderate FMR in 26, and mild FMR in 3. The papillary muscle heads of anterior leaflets and posterior leaflets were approximated using Teflon-pledgeted 3-0 Ticron sutures at anterolateral and posteromedial commissural portions. After surgery, residual moderate FMR was observed in 1 patient and mild FMR in 3 patients. Tenting height of the mitral valve significantly decreased. FMR free rates 2 years after surgery were 93% among IHD patients and 83% in AVD patients. ''Sandwich plasty'' was simple and effective for the treatment of functional FMR caused by tethering effects due to left ventricular dilatation. The importance of papillary muscle displacement due to left ventricular dilatation in FMR has been recognized recently.5 In 2004, we initiated an original papillary muscle head approximation procedure, often referred to as a ''sandwich plasty,'' for the treatment of FMR. 6 We adopted this procedure initially for the treatment of ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) and then for FMR associated with aortic valve disease (AVD), because the cause of FMR was a tethering effect due to dilatation of the left ventricle (which is similar in ischemic cardiomyopathy and AVD).In this study, we examined early and midterm surgical results of papillary muscle sandwich plasty. Here we discuss the availability of this procedure for the treatment of FMR in patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and AVD. Patients and MethodsForty-three patients who underwent sandwich plasty were reviewed, including 27 IHD patients and 16 AVD patients (Table 1). Mean patient age was 67 6 9 years, ranging from 47 to 84 years; 31 males and 12 females were included in the study. Scheduled operation was performed in 37 patients, and 6 patients underwent emergency surgery. The mean number of coronary artery bypass grafts in IHD patients was 2.7 6 1.6. Predominant aortic valve diseases consisted of regurgitation (AR) in 9 patients and stenosis (AS) in 7 patients. Aortic valve replacement (AVR) was performed in 15 patients and David surgery in 1. A Carpentier-Edwards bioprosthesis was implanted in 10 patients and a stent-less bioprosthesis in 5. The size of the prosthetic valve was 23 6 2 mm, ranging from 21 to 28 mm. As concomitant operative procedures, left ventricle volume reduction was performed in 7 patients, cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) in 7, radiofrequency Maze procedure in 6, tricuspid annuloplasty in 5, and left ventricle outflow myomectomy in 2 (Table 1). Postoperative early and follow-up results were evaluated. The mean follow-up period was 20 months, ranging from 2 to 39 months. TechniqueFollowing anesthesia induction and using transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), we reconfirmed that the cause of...