• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.82 no.5
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• pp.1281-1286
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• 2021

Brainstem infarction due to vertebrobasilar insufficiency is a rare initial presentation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and small-vessel dissection as the direct cause of infarction has not been reported. We report the case of a 20-year-old female with acute infarction on the right side of the pons due to a small artery (pontine perforator) dissection, identified on digital subtraction angiography and high-resolution vessel wall MRI (vwMRI). She was diagnosed with SLE based on the presence of neurologic disorders and relevant laboratory findings. The pontine perforator-dissecting aneurysm had occluded and the right distal vertebral artery had resolved on subsequent vwMRI. She had a modified Rankin Scale (mRS) score of 1 at discharge with mild symptom improvement, and exhibited no further aggravation of symptoms at 3 or 12 months, maintaining an mRS score of 1.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.338-346
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) responder index (SRI)-4 response has been achieved with belimumab treatment in patients with moderate disease activity in cornerstone clinical trials and following studies. However, most studies involved patients treated with a mean prednisolone-equivalent dose of approximately 10 mg/d and focused on the steroid-sparing effect of belimumab. We aimed to identify the effect of belimumab in patients with mild-to-moderate SLE who were treated with low-dose or no corticosteroids. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the electronic medical records of patients treated with belimumab for at least 6 months between May 2021 and June 2022. The primary endpoint was SRI-4 response at 6 months. Results: Thirty-one patients were included (13 low dose- and 18 steroid non-users). The mean age was 39.2 ± 11.4 years, and 90.3% of patients were female. The baseline Safety of Estrogens in Lupus Erythematosus National Assessment-Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SELENA-SLEDAI) score was 6.0 (4.0-9.0). The primary endpoint was achieved in 32.3% (10/31) of patients. Significant improvements in anemia, C4 levels, and SELENA-SLEDAI score were observed during treatment. Univariate analysis showed that the baseline SELENA-SLEDAI and arthritis were significantly associated with SRI-4 response at 6 months, and only the SELENA-SLEDAI remained significant (p = 0.014) in multivariate analysis. Conclusions: This cohort study is the first to report the efficacy of belimumab after minimizing the effect of corticosteroids. Belimumab showed efficacy in improving the SELENA-SLEDAI score, anemia, and low C4 in patients who did not receive corticosteroids or received only low doses.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.121-134
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• 2015

This paper is to investigate the potentials of the elastic seismic design of twisted high-rise steel diagrid frame buildings in the strong wind and moderate/low seismicity regions. First, the prototypes of high-rise steel diagrid frames with architectural plans that have a twist angle of 0 (regular-shaped), 1, and 2 degrees were designed to resist wind. Then, the effects of the twist angle on the estimated quantities and structural redundancies of the diagrid frames were examined. Second, the seismic performance of the wind-designed prototype buildings under a low seismicity was evaluated. The response spectrum analysis was conducted for the service level earthquake (SLE) having 43-year return period and the maximum considered earthquake (MCE) having 2475-year return period. The evaluation resulted that the twisted high-rise steel diagrid frames resisted the service level earthquake elastically and most of their diagrid members remained elastic even under the maximum considered earthquake.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.487-490
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• 1995

We have experienced the 37 patients of pericardial effusion during last 8 years[1986-1993 . They were 17 male and 20 female patients, and their age range was 6months to 80 years.The causes of this pericardial effusion were 10 cases of tuberculosis, 7 cases of malignancy, 2 cases of acute pyogenic infection, 2 cases of postpericardiotomy pericardial effusion, 2 cases of trauma, 1 case of congenital heart disease, 1 case of SLE, and other 12 cases of unknown origin. All patients, except one, were managed by pericardiotomy with subxiphoid tube drainage. One case was managed by pericardiectomy. After operation, their symptoms and sign were dramaticaly improved. However, 3 patients were died postoperatively. Two of them were died of respiratory failure. One of them was died 28 months later with unrelated cause. They have already far advanced lung cancer. We conclude that the pericardiotomy with subxiphoid tube drainage was effective treatment in the patients with pericardial effusion.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.111-125
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• 2014

Multiple level performance of seismically isolated elevated storage tank isolated with multi-phase friction pendulum bearing is investigated under totally 60 records developed for multiple level seismic hazard analysis (SLE, DBE and MCE). Mathematical formulations involving complex time history analysis have been proposed for analysis of typical storage tank by multi-phase friction pendulum bearing. Multi-phase friction pendulum bearing represent a new generation of adaptive friction isolation system to control super-structure demand in different hazard levels. This isolator incorporates four concave surfaces and three independent pendulum mechanisms. Pendulum stages can be set to address specific response criteria for moderate, severe and very severe events. The advantages of a Triple Pendulum Bearing for seismic isolation of elevated storage tanks are explored. To study seismic performance of isolated elevated storage tank with multi-phase friction pendulum, analytical simulations were performed with different friction coefficients, pendulum radii and slider displacement capacities.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2018

Inflammasomes are intracellular multiprotein complexes that coordinate anti-pathogenic host defense during inflammatory responses in myeloid cells, especially macrophages. Inflammasome activation leads to activation of caspase-1, resulting in the induction of pyroptosis and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines including interleukin $(IL)-1{\beta}$ and IL-18. Although the inflammatory response is an innate host defense mechanism, chronic inflammation is the main cause of rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and $Sj{\ddot{o}}gren^{\prime}s$ syndrome (SS). Since rheumatic diseases are inflammatory/autoimmune disorders, it is reasonable to hypothesize that inflammasomes activated during the inflammatory response play a pivotal role in development and progression of these diseases. Indeed, previous studies have provided important observations that inflammasomes are actively involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge on several types of inflammasomes during macrophage-mediated inflammatory responses and discuss recent research regarding the role of inflammasomes in the pathogenesis of inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic diseases. This avenue of research could provide new insights for the development of promising therapeutics to treat inflammatory/autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

• Journal of Haehwa Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2001

In the result of investigating traditional chinese medical literatures to understand definite immun opharmacologic effects of drugs for clearing away heat and detoxicating such as Oldenlandiae Diffusae Herba, Fel Ursi, Fraxini Cortex, Pulsatillae Radix, Bruceae Fructus, Portulacea Herba, Patriniae Radix, we could reach conclusions as follows: 1. Oldenlandiae Diffusae Herba can increase voracity of leukocytes and immune function of splen ocytes. 2. Fel Ursi, Patriniae Radix can inhibit acute, chronic inflammation by decreasing voracity of macrophages, monocytes and recover lymphocytes. 3. Fraxini Cortex have anti-inflammatory effect then applied to treat with arthritis. Pulsatillae Radix, Bruceae Fructus, Portulacea Herba have anti-cancer, anti-biotic effects. Above results indicates that drugs for clearing away heat immunosuppressive effect that they can apply to all sorts of inflammatory diseases such as arthritis, DTH, SLE, and cancer.

• Polymer Science and Technology
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.245-250
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• 2009

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1996.07b
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• pp.1356-1358
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• 1996

Hopfield's suggestion of a neural network model for associative memory aroused the interest of many scientists and led to efforts of mathematical analyses. But the Hopfield Network has several disadvantages such as spurious states and capacity limitation. In that sense many scientists and engineers are trying to use a new optimization algorithm called genetic algorithm. But it is hard to use this algorithm in Hopfileld Network because of the fixed architecture. In this paper we introduce another method to determine the weight of Hopfield type network using Genetic Algorithm.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.42 no.11
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• pp.747-754
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• 2019

The incidence of atherosclerosis is higher among patients with several autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It is well documented that innate immune cells including macrophages and dendritic cells sense lipid species such as saturated fatty acids and oxidized low-density lipoprotein and produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines. However, whether a hyperlipidemic environment also impacts autoimmune T cell responses has been unclear. Among $CD4^+$ T cells, Th17 and follicular helper T (Tfh) cells are known to play pathogenic roles in the development of hyperlipidemia-associated autoimmune diseases. This review gives an overview of the cellular and molecular mechanisms by which dysregulated lipid metabolism impacts the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, with specific emphasis on Th17 and Tfh cells.