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A large area plasma source based on 12 multi-dipolar ECR plasma cells arranged in a 3 × 4 matrix configuration was built and optimized for silicon etching by negative ions. The density ratio of negative ions to electrons has exceeded 300 in Ar/SF6 gas mixture when a magnetic filter was used to reduce the electron temperature to about 1.2 eV. Mass spectrometry and electrostatic probe were used for plasma diagnostics. The new source is free of density jumps and instabilities and shows a very good stability for plasma potential, and the dominant negative ion species is F-. The magnetic field in plasma volume is negligible and there is no contamination by filaments. The etching rate by negative ions measured in Ar/SF6/O2 mixtures was almost similar with that by positive ions reaching 700 nm/min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative ion production is examined in a chamber with transversal magnetic filter operated in dc or inductively coupled plasma (ICP) modes in Ar/S[F.sub.6] gas mixtures. The etching rates by positive and negative ions are analyzed on silicon substrate for different Ar/S[F.sub.6] gas ratios, where the etching rate by negative ions is shown to be 5% smaller than that by positive ions.

A 71 yo woman treated with Lisinopril for HBP, was brought to our department for right-sided paresthesias, dysarthria and right-sided motor defi cits. Onset of symptoms was sudden, about one hour prior to hospitalization. However, at the time of presentation, they were partially ameliorated. Clinical exam revealed right hemiparesis 4/5 MRC, right central facial palsy, BP of 150/80 mmHg and HR of 78/min rhythmic. The patient presented similar transient episodes of right-sided paresthesias and dysarthria during the last month, but without addressing to a medical department. Medical exam and history pointed to a TIA in the left MCA territory. However, CT scan revealed a small intergyral left fronto-parietal subarachnoid hemorrhage. When asked, the patient denied any headache, nausea/vomiting, altered consciousness or recent history of head trauma, while clinical exam revealed no meningism. The patient was then transferred urgently to a Neurosurgery Department. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the most important methods and technologies used to monitor the temperature of low voltage power supply cables, which supply 400V in three-phase mode, trying to highlight the method of using composite materials, materials that are included in the material constructive of the cables, these having the role of temperature sensor. Temperature monitoring is performed along the electrical cables, to transmit in real time information on the evolution of temperatures along the entire length of the cable, at any point, during their entire life. The article will focus on the method of inserting optical fibres inside the power supply cables, which will be used as a temperature measuring instrument. Using the Reman effect, a method of reflecting the injected light at one end of the optical fibre, by processing the received signals, the evolution of the temperature inside the electric cable can be detected with great precision, over long distances and with great accuracy. the evolution of the temperature inside the electric.

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how business environment and performance can be improved in an organization that used and implement Lean Six Sigma methodology and who create an organizational framework auspicious for theirs employees. Lean Six Sigma can be a management approach of an organization focused on quality and continuous improvement, based on the participation of all its employees which aims to ensure long term success. Its very important for a organization to believe in the capacity of work and intellect of their employees, to invest in them, so in this way they will feel useful and will became more self confident and will help the company to move one step ahead in this very competitive market we are facing today.

This study investigates the climate change discourse as this is a highly debated topic nowadays. A case study is revealed in this paper, which consists of applying the critical discourse analysis method at Raiffeisen Bank, one of the most important international banks. The findings of this study disclose that misleading messages are construed in climate change discourse by using some persuasion means in order to support the statement of the discourse. The study was conducted by combining a wide variety of sources, such as articles, strategies, and reports.

Aim and Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of the ATTRv heterozygous mutation frequency, phenotype, and all-cause mortality at two cardiac amyloidosis centers in Romania and France., Results: 291 patients were included: 26 Glu54Gln (all Romanian), 200 Val122Ile, 47 Val30Met and 18 Ser77Tyr. On diagnosis, Gu54Gln patients were younger than Val122Ile or late-onset Val30Met (median age: 46 [42-50], 76 [71-80] and 70 [61-76], respectively; p < 0.001) and had more autonomic dysfunction (50 %, 6.3 %, and 7.7 %, respectively; p < 0.001) and similar cardiac symptom profiles. They had fewer conduction disorders (11.5 %) than early-onset Val30Met (76.9 %, p < 0.001) and Ser77Tyr group, notably less cardiac pacemaker present on diagnosis: 3.8 % for Glu54Gln vs. 23.5 % for Ser77Tyr; p = 0.014. Glu54Gln, Val122Ile, late-onset Val30Met and Ser77Tyr patients had similar left ventricular mass and systolic function values. Median survival for Glu54Gln patients was 58.7 years (95 %CI 55.9 - upper bound indeterminable), significantly lower than that of Val122Ile (83.6 years 95 %CI 81.6-85.5, log-rank test p < 0.001), late-onset Val30Met (83.4 years 95 %CI 81.9-84.9, log-rank test p < 0.001) and Ser77Tyr (74.8 years 95 %CI 68.7-80.9, log-rank test p = 0.022). Median survival after diagnosis was 5.7 years for Glu54Gln patients (95 %CI 4.7-6.4)., Conclusion: We established that the Glu54Gln variant has an aggressive, mixed phenotype, with an early onset of autonomic dysfunction and heart failure symptoms. We emphasize the need for systematic genetic testing in patients with ATTR as understanding genotype-phenotype correlations is key for the management and the counseling of patients and their family members., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest RJ and RA received speaker fees and unrestricted educational grants from Pfizer and Genesis Pharma., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Aims: Systemic amyloidosis represents a heterogeneous group of diseases resulting from amyloid fibre deposition. The purpose of this study is to establish a differential diagnosis algorithm targeted towards the two most frequent subtypes of CA., Methods and Results: We prospectively included all consecutive patients with ATTR and AL evaluated between 2018 and 2022 in two centres in a score derivation cohort and a different validation sample. All patients had a complete clinical, biomarker, electrocardiographic, and imaging evaluation. Confirmation of the final diagnosis with amyloid typing was performed according to the current international recommendations. The study population included 81 patients divided into two groups: ATTR (group 1, n = 32: 28 variant and 4 wild type) and AL (group 2, n = 49). ATTR patients were younger (50.7 ± 13.9 vs. 60.2 ± 7.3 years, P = 0.0001), and significantly different in terms of NT-proBNP [ATTR: 1472.5 ng/L (97-4218.5) vs. AL 8024 ng/L (3058-14 069) P = 0.001], hs-cTn I [ATTR: 10 ng/L (4-20) vs. AL 78 ng/L (32-240), P = 0.0002], GFR [ATTR 95.4 mL/min (73.8-105.3) vs. AL: 68.4 mL/min (47.8-87.4) P = 0.003]. At similar left ventricular (LV) wall thickness and ejection fraction, the ATTR group had less frequently pericardial effusion (ATTR: 15% vs. AL: 33% P = 0.0027), better LV global longitudinal strain (ATTR: -13.1% ± 3.5 vs. AL: -9.1% ± 4.3 P = 0.04), RV strain (ATTR: -21.9% ± 6.2 vs. AL: -16.8% ± 6 P = 0.03) and better reservoir function of the LA strain (ATTR: 22% ± 12 vs. AL: 13.6% ± 7.8 P = 0.02). Cut-off points were calculated based on the Youden method. We attributed to 2 points for parameters having an AUC > 0.75 (NT-proBNP AUC 0.799; hs-cTnI AUC 0.87) and 1 point for GFR (AUC 0.749) and TTE parameters (GLS AUC 0.666; RV FWS AUC 0.649, LASr AUC 0.643). A score of equal or more than 4 points has been able to differentiate between AL and ATTR (sensitivity 80%, specificity 62%, AUC = 0.798). The differential diagnosis score system was applied to the validation cohort of 52 CA patients showing a sensitivity of 81% with specificity of 77%., Conclusions: CA is a complex entity and requires extensive testing for a positive diagnosis. This study highlights a series of non-invasive checkpoints, which can be useful in guiding the decision-making process towards a more accurate and rapid differential diagnosis., (© 2024 The Authors. ESC Heart Failure published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Society of Cardiology.)

Rationale: Muscle pseudohypertrophy is a rare manifestation of light chain amyloidosis (AL) amyloidosis., Patient Concerns: A 63-year-old woman presented with a 2-year history of progressive asthenia, macroglossia, dysphonia, cachexia, hypotension, paresthesia, and lower limb muscle hypertrophy., Diagnosis: Free serum lambda light chains were increased, and fat pad biopsy demonstrated Congo red-positive deposits. Additionally, electromyography showed a myopathic pattern, whereas muscle biopsy revealed amyloid deposits. A diagnosis of λAL with cardiac, renal, nervous system, and skeletal muscle involvement was established., Interventions and Outcomes: The patient received 3 subsequent lines of therapy over the following 23 months, with very slow hematological remission followed by resolution of organ dysfunction., Lessons: Despite its rarity, muscle involvement should be considered in patients diagnosed with AL amyloidosis associated with unexplained muscle hypertrophy or weakness associated with macroglossia or elevated troponin T levels in the absence of clear cardiac involvement., Competing Interests: The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose., (Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: In Romania, 23 patients have been diagnosed with hereditary transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTRh), 18 of whom have the Glu54Gln mutation. This retrospective cohort included all patients with Glu54Gln-mutated ATTRh who were diagnosed in Romania from 2005 to 2018., Results: Of 18 patients, 10 were symptomatic, five were asymptomatic carriers and three died during the study. All originated from North-East Romania. Median age at symptom onset was 45 years; median age at death was 51 years. All patients had cardiac involvement, including changes in biomarkers (mean N-terminal-pro B-type natriuretic peptide: 2815.6 pg/ml), electrocardiography (15% atrial fibrillation, 38% atrioventricular block, 31% right bundle block), and echocardiography (mean interventricular septum: 16 mm, mean left ventricular ejection fraction: 49%). Scintigraphy showed myocardial radiotracer uptake in all patients. In addition, 92% of patients had polyneuropathy at diagnosis and 53% had carpal tunnel syndrome; 69% exhibited orthostatic hypotension and 31% suffered from diarrhea. No renal or liver involvement was observed., Conclusions: This is the largest Glu54Gln-mutated ATTRh cohort diagnosed to date, and to our knowledge the first describing this variant worldwide. Clinical features of this variant are early onset, neurological and cardiac involvement, aggressive disease progression and short survival. Early diagnosis and therapeutic intervention have potential to improve prognosis in ATTRh.