Purpose: This study aims to investigate factors associated with depression during Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) quarantine. Methods: An online survey was done to assess depression of the individuals living in Seoul, who were under quarantine due to COVID-19 between October and December 2020. A total of 1,139 individuals were included in our analysis. Logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate factors contributing to depression during COVID-19 quarantine. Results: The prevalence of depression among the participants was 8.5% (women 11.1%, men 5.8%). Our regression analyses showed that pre-existing depression, women, perceived support, correct understanding of the rationale for quarantine, and understanding of quarantine instructions were significantly associated with the likelihood of depression during quarantine due to COVID-19. Conclusion The findings suggest that it is necessary to develop and implement a preemptive measure focusing on vulnerable groups such as women or people with pre-existing depression to prevent depression during quarantine. In addition, this study confirmed that active and efficient communication by the health authorities is essential to better understand the purpose and instructions of quarantine, which is also effective in preventing depressive symptoms during quarantine.

The coeneal endothelium is essential for the maintenance of normal corneal hydration, thickness, and transparency. However, corneal endothelial cells are incapable of significant proliferation in vivo. As we age, the density of corneal endothelial (CEN) cells gradually decreases. The goal of our study is to explore the possibility of enhancing the proliferation of corneal endothelial cells by introduction of SV 40 large T antigen, a transforming protein. To this end, introduction of protein into CEN cells was assessed by liposome assisted beta-galactosidase transfection in vivo, ex vivo, and in vivo. In all cases, cells treated with liposome-protein complex have shown dramatic blue stain in beta-galactosidase activity staining. This result convinced us that we could artificially introduce a foreign protein into a cell. To ascertain where SV 40 large T antigen is localized in the cell, purified SV 40 large T antigen was transfected into the cells using liposome and its presence was determined immunohistochemically. We show that the liposome delivered SV 40 large is localized in the nucleus and mitotic figures which may suggest its functional activity.
Antigens, Viral, Tumor* ; beta-Galactosidase ; Endothelial Cells* ; Endothelium ; Liposomes ; Transfection*

Crystallins are the major proteins found in the lens, and the localization of specific crystallins is well known. Overexpression and accumulation of alphaB-crystallin has been observed in response to stress conditions or in certain diseases, such as brain tumors and neurodegenerative diseases. The purpose of this study was to examine whether alpha-crystallins are modified during pathological myofibroblastic changes in lens epithelial cells. Lens epithelial cells attached to the anterior capsules of patients with nuclear or anterior polar cataracts were analyzed quantitatively for alpha-crystallin proteins and mRNAs using Western blot and RT-PCR analysis., respectively. The degree of modification of alpha-crystallins was determined by 2-dimensional gel electrophoresis followed by Western blotting. Higher molecular weight protein bands that were immunoreactive to anti-alphaA- and anti-alphaB-crystallin antibodies around 45 kDa accumulated more in the anterior polar cataract samples than in those with the nuclear type of cataracts. Also monomeric alphaB-crystallins accumulated more in lens epithelial cells of patients with anterior polar cataracts. By comparison, no significant changes were found in the levels of the mRNAs encoding alphaA- and alphaB-crystallins in the different types of cataracts. Both alphaA- and alphaB-crystallin proteins seemed to undergo more extensive modification in anterior polar cataracts. Conclusion. In addition to fibrotic changes, which accompany increased levels of extracellular matrix molecules, accumulation and abnormal modification of alpha-crystallins might be implicated in the pathogenic mechanism of this type of cataract.
Adult ; Cataract/*genetics/metabolism ; Epithelial Cells/metabolism ; Female ; Human ; Lens, Crystalline/metabolism ; Male ; Middle Aged ; RNA, Messenger/analysis ; Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't ; alpha-Crystallin A Chain/*genetics/metabolism ; alpha-Crystallin B Chain/*genetics/metabolism

The protective effects of baicalein, one of the flavonoids in Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, were evaluated against 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced neuronal damage in mice and cultured human neuroblastoma cells. Nigrostriatal damage was induced by stereotaxically injecting 6-OHDA into the right striatum. Baicalein was administered intraperitoneally 30 min before and 90 min after lesion induction. Animals received a further daily injection of baicalein for 3 consecutive days. Two weeks after 6-OHDA injection, contralateral rotational asymmetry was observed by apomorphine challenge in lesioned mice. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry revealed a significant loss of terminals in lesioned striatum and the reduction of the numbers of TH-positive cell in the ipsilateral substantia nigra (SN). In addition, the levels of dopamine (DA) and DA metabolites were reduced and lipid peroxidation was increased in lesioned striatum. However, baicalein treatment reduced apomorphine-induced rotational behavior in 6-OHDA-lesioned mice, and increased TH immunoreactivity in the striatum and SN, and DA levels in lesioned striatum. Lipid peroxidation induced by 6-OHDA was also inhibited by baicalein treatment. Furthermore, when SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells were treated with baicalein, 6-OHDA-induced cytotoxicity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production were significantly reduced. These results indicate that baicalein effectively protects 6-OHDA-induced neuronal damage through antioxidant action.
Animals ; Apomorphine ; Dopamine ; Flavonoids ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Lipid Peroxidation ; Mice ; Neuroblastoma ; Neurons* ; Oxidative Stress* ; Oxidopamine ; Reactive Oxygen Species ; Scutellaria baicalensis ; Substantia Nigra ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

The effects of fetal mesencephalic cell grafts on the restoration of nigrostriatal dopaminergic function were studied in the intrastriatal 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rats. Four weeks after lesioning, transplantation of ventral mesencephalic cells from embryonic day 14 fetuses showed the number of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) positive cells and fiber outgrowth in the grafted striatum, and significantly ameliorated symptomatic motor behavior of the animals, as determined by apomorphine-induced rotation. Furthermore, in substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), the numbers of TH cells and fibers were markedly restored. Dopamine content of ipsilateral SNc was close to that of contralateral SNc (91.9 9.8%) in the transplanted animals, while the ratio was approximately 32% in sham-grafted animals. These results indicate that grafted cells restored the activity for the dopaminergic neurons located in SNc, although they were transplanted into striatum. In addition, we showed that the implanted fetal cells expressed high level of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), suggesting that the transplanted fetal cells might serve as a dopamine producer and a reservoir of neurotrophic factors. These results may be helpful in consideration of the therapeutic transplantation at early stage of PD.
Animals ; Dopamine ; Dopaminergic Neurons ; Fetus ; Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor ; Nerve Growth Factors ; Oxidopamine ; Parkinson Disease ; Rats* ; Substantia Nigra ; Transplantation ; Transplants* ; Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase

Immunoreactive dynamics of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) within the tumor microenvironment in breast cancer are not well understood. This study aimed to investigate the spatiotemporal cellular dynamics of TILs in breast cancer models. Breast cancer cells were implanted into the dorsal skinfold chamber of BALB/c nude mice, and T lymphocytes were adoptively transferred. Longitudinal intravital imaging was performed, and the spatiotemporal dynamics of TILs were assessed. In the 4T1 model, TILs progressively exhibited increased motility, and their motility inside the tumor was significantly higher than that outside the tumor. In the MDA-MB-231 model, the motility of TILs progressively decreased after an initial increase. TIL motility in the MDA-MB-231 and MCF-7 models differed significantly, suggesting an association between programmed death-ligand 1 expression levels and TIL motility, which warrants further investigation. Furthermore, intravital imaging of TILs can be a useful method for addressing dynamic interactions between TILs and breast cancer cells.