Risk and protective factors of depression in the general population during the COVID-19 epidemic in Korea

Background: The risk of depression has risen in the general population during the COVID-19 epidemic. This study was conducted to explore risk and protective factors associated with depression among the general population uninfected by COVID-19. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 1,500 representative South Korean citizens aged 19–65 years through an anonymous online survey. Depression was defined as a Patient Health Questionnaire-9 score of 10 or higher. Other questionnaires included one measuring psycho-behavioural and social changes, and stress, due to COVID-19, a six-item version of the Gratitude Questionnaire (GQ-6), and a three-item version of the UCLA loneliness scale. Results: Of the 1492 participants not infected by COVID-19, 312 (20.9%) exhibited depression. Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that depression was positively associated with COVID-19-related stress and psycho-behavioural variables such as disturbances in eating and sleeping, younger age, smoking, underlying mental illness, and loneliness scale scores. In contrast, exercise three or more times per week and GQ-6 scale scores were inversely associated with depression. Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, maintaining daily routines including eating, sleeping, and regular exercise and focusing on gratitude may be important for the prevention of depression. In addition, more attention should be paid to vulnerable populations, including young people, those with mental illnesses, and smokers, who might be more susceptible to depression

A study on the attribution of joint inheritance of fixed-amount postal savings

When an inheritee dies, coheirs will inherit the property under “joint ownership” according to Art. 898 of the Civil Law Act. However, the court has ruled that divisible credits are not considered to fall under joint ownership but automatically divided at the same time as the commencement of inheritance. Furthermore, regarding the inheritance of a fixed amount post deposit, scholars and courts are yet to agree whether this claim naturally belongs to each coheir and whether it is an object under the procedure of the partition of estates on the assumption that it is divisible. Recently, the Supreme Court confirmed that a fixed amount post deposit is not of a divisible nature but belongs to each coheir by way of semi-joint ownership. Furthermore, they explained it must follow the procedure of the partition of estates. Thus, this case clarifies that this claim (1) does not naturally belong to each coheir and (2) is subject to the procedure of partition of estates. However, through this case, the following can be considered: (1) The Supreme Court does not distinctly clarify whether the deposit is a divisible claim or an indivisible claim. (2) According to the pre decisions of the court, it is logical to solve the attribution problem of joint inherited claims by the relationship of multiple parties (Art. 427-428). However, if it were an indivisible claim, one coheir can obtain an authority of claim regarding all inherited deposits under Art. 428. Thus, it can be assumed that the court used the concept of “semi-joint ownership” to avoid the result of natural division. (3) Eventually, coheirs with semi-joint ownership are also freely able to exert or depose of their share. However, the decision of the court, which recognized that this claim has to follow the procedure of the partition of estates, may imply that the concept of “joint ownership” in Japan does not have a simple narrow meaning but an extended meaning that includes “partnership-ownership”, which does not permit parties to freely dispose of their share

Synthesis of Azetidines based on Visible-light Photocatalytic [2+2] Aza Cycloaddition Between Alkenes and Imines

Department of ChemistryThe organic compounds which have four-membered ring structure are fascinating in organic chemistry, since they have been found in numerous bioactive molecules and used as useful synthon due to their ring strain. Among them, the azetidine which is nitrogen-containing four-membered heterocycle starts to gain in popularity as an interesting pharmacophore in current medicinal chemistry because of their desirable biological activity and improved metabolic stability. Also, as a synthon, their strained structure makes them excellent candidates for ring expansion reactions. In spite of their strong points, the lack of efficient synthetic method of azetidine is still remaining challenge. Among the known synthetic strategies, the [2+2] photocycloaddition reaction between imine and alkene has emerged as prominent method, which can directly afford the functionalized azetidine. However, because of low reactivity between imines and alkenes, previous methods usually relied on UV irradiation in order to activate the imine or alkene. UV irradiation can excite both alkene and imine so that the C=N bond can undergo undesired relaxation pathways such as isomerization, fragmentation, or decomposition. Some research groups designed rigid imine and alkene substrates to solve that, but still UV light is hazardous, and it has limited the functional groups of substrates. To break through these drawbacks, we developed the visible light induced photocatalytic [2+2] cycloaddition reaction between imine and alkene. The selective activation of alkene was achieved via redox mechanism to avoid the excitation of imine or other functional groups. Using blue LED as light source and acridinium catalyst as organophotocatalyst, a variety of azetidine compounds were synthesized in moderate to excellent yield without any by-product. This redox neutral method gives product only and utilizes acridinium photocatalyst which is eco-friendly, cheap, and less toxic than metal photocatalysts. Therefore, it allows a highly atom economic reaction and it is highly desirable in green chemistry. Also, the constructed bicyclic azetidine moiety have great potential in biological activity and further modification.clos