Baseline serum interleukin-34 levels independently predict radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of our observational study was to investigate the clinical significance of interleukin (IL)-34, a novel osteoclastogenic cytokine, for predicting structural damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Serum IL-34 levels were measured in 100 RA patients, 36 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and 59 gender- and age-matched healthy individuals using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We also measured IL-34 concentrations in synovial fluid (SF) samples from 18 RA patients and 19 osteoarthritis (OA) patients.

Multi-valued logic circuits using hybrid circuit consisting of three gates single-electron transistors (TG-SETs) and MOSFETs.

New multi-valued logic (MVL) families using the hybrid circuits consisting of three gates single-electron transistors (TG-SETs) and a metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) are proposed. The use of SETs offers periodic literal characteristics due to Coulomb oscillation of SET, which allows a realization of binary logic (BL) circuits as well as multi-valued logic (MVL) circuits. The basic operations of the proposed MVL families are successfully confirmed through SPICE circuit simulation based on the physical device model of a TG-SET.

New adders using hybrid circuit consisting of three-gate single-electron transistors (TG-SETs) and MOSFETs.

A half-adder (HA) and a full-adder (FA) using hybrid circuits combining three-gate single-electron transistors (TG-SETs) with metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors (MOSFETs) are proposed. The proposed HA consists of three TG-SETs, two enhanced-mode NMOSFETs, and two depletion-mode NMOSFETs, and the proposed FA consists of eight TG-SETs, two enhanced-mode NMOSFETs, and two depletion-mode NMOSFETs. The complexities in the HA and the FA are 7 and 12, respectively, and the worst-case delays in the HA and the FA are 1.

Clinical follow-up of conjunctival malignant melanoma.

Purpose: To investigate the clinical features and course of conjunctival malignant melanoma in Korea.

Methods: The medical records of 15 patients, 5 males and 10 females, diagnosed with conjunctival malignant melanoma who had been treated at Severance Hospital from May 1991 to March 2004 were reviewed retrospectively. The clinical parameters of the patients, tumors, and treatment were analyzed for their relation to outcome measures.