AIMTo study the chemical constituents of the stem of Cassia siamea.

METHODSThe compounds were isolated by chromatography on silica gel, and identified on the basis of spectral analysis.

RESULTSFive compounds were isolated and identified as: beta-sitosterol (I), sucrose (II), n-octacosanol (III), 2-methyl-5-(2'-hydroxypropyl)-7-hydroxy-chromone-2'-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside (IV) and piceatannol (V).

CONCLUSIONCompound IV is a new compound. Compounds II, III and V were obtained from this plant for the first time.

Cassia ; chemistry ; Chromones ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Fatty Alcohols ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Monosaccharides ; chemistry ; isolation & purification ; Plant Stems ; chemistry ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry ; Stilbenes ; chemistry ; isolation & purification

OBJECTIVETo investigate the status quo of smoking cessation and analyze factors influencing smoking cessation in cigarette smoking patients with coronary artery disease (CAD).

METHODA total of 350 smoking patients with CAD was surveyed by questionnaire, logistic regression analysis was performed to analyze factors influencing smoking cessation.

RESULTSIncidence of smoking cessation was 57.1% (200/350) in this cohort. Patients were divided into two groups, the elderly (> 65 years old, n = 111) and the young group (≤ 65 years old, n = 239). The smoking cessation rate in the elderly group is significantly higher than in the young group (71.2% vs. 50.6%, P < 0.001). Aged patients and patients with high cultural level are easier to give up smoking. Logistic analysis showed that age ≤ 65 years old (OR = 2.336, P = 0.004), low cultural level (OR = 1.310, P = 0.028), PCI (OR = 0.261, P < 0.001), coronary artery bypass graft (OR = 0.107, P = 0.004), total family income > 4000 RMB/month (OR = 1.828, P = 0.003) are risk factors for failed smoking cessation. There are 76 patients smoking again in current smokers, most due to lack of self-control (76.3%). Compared to the elderly group, there is a higher proportion of smoking again due to the need of daily communication and work in the young group.

CONCLUSIONSWe still need to raise the awareness of smoking cessation for smoking patients with CAD. Following factors should be focused for tobacco control in CAD patients: younger age, lower cultural level, not treated with PCI or CABG, patients with smoking family members, higher body mass index and higher total family income.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Coronary Artery Disease ; epidemiology ; prevention & control ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Risk Factors ; Smoking ; Smoking Cessation ; statistics & numerical data ; Surveys and Questionnaires

OBJECTIVETo study the relation between histopathologic grading and some of the cytogenetic and molecular biology characteristics of breast cancer.

METHODSOn the basis of estrogen receptor (ER) expression, DNA content, S-phase fraction (SPF), bcl-2 and mutant p53 protein (mtp53) expression were examined by FCM in 121 breast cancer patients. In 66 patients with invasive ductal breast cancer, histopathologic grading was also examined.

RESULTSThe aneuploidy rate and DNA index (DI) were significantly different in grade I, II and III breast cancer. SPF and mtp53 expression significantly increased with increase in histopathologic grading (P < 0.05), but bcl-2 did not show this trend. SPF and mtp53 expression were significantly more in breast cancer with negative ER than in those with positive ER (P < 0.05). Again, no such differences in bcl-2 regardless of ER expression. Correlations existed between DI vs SPF, DI vs mtp53, and SPF vs mtp53 expressions (P < 0.01) but bcl-2 did not correlate with any one of them.

CONCLUSIONCytogenetic and molecular biology studies on the basis of histopathologic grading may provide more information in prognostic prediction of breast cancer.

Adolescent ; Adult ; Aneuploidy ; Breast Neoplasms ; metabolism ; pathology ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast ; metabolism ; pathology ; DNA, Neoplasm ; analysis ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Mutation ; Prognosis ; Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; Receptors, Estrogen ; biosynthesis ; genetics ; S Phase ; Tumor Suppressor Protein p53 ; biosynthesis ; genetics

BACKGROUNDDonor organ rejection continues to be a significant problem for patients receiving transplants. We therefore tested whether transferring a donor's major histocompatibility complex (MHC) gene to the recipient would mitigate the rejection of transplanted hearts in mice.

METHODSH-2K(k) gene from donor mice was amplified using nested polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and ligated into a mammalian expression vector, which was then transfected into thymus ground mass cells collected from the recipients. Clones stably expressing the transgene were then injected into the recipients' thymus visualized using ultrasound. Control mice were administered cells previously transfected with empty vector. Following heart transplantation, cardiac activity was monitored electrocardiographically. Recipient thymus cells were tested for MHC antigenicity using flow cytometry and spleen cells were subjected to mixed lymphocyte culture tests. Finally, the transplanted hearts were sectioned, stained and examined under light microscopy.

RESULTSSouthern analysis following nested PCR revealed clear expression of H-2K(k) gene. Following transplantation, electrocardiosignals were detectable highly significantly longer in recipients administered thymal cells expressing donor H-2K(k) than in those receiving control cells. Flow cytometric analysis using an anti-H-2K(k) antibody confirmed its expression in H-2K(k) treated recipients but not in control mice. Mixed lymphocyte cultures containing H-2K(k) treated cells showed significantly less proliferation than those containing control cells. Hearts from control mice showed substantially greater lymphocyte infiltration than those from H-2K(k) treated mice and large areas of necrosis.

CONCLUSIONRejection of transplanted hearts can be mitigated substantially by introducing the donor's MHC into the recipient.

Animals ; Blotting, Southern ; Electrocardiography ; Female ; Flow Cytometry ; Graft Rejection ; genetics ; immunology ; Heart Transplantation ; immunology ; methods ; Major Histocompatibility Complex ; genetics ; immunology ; Male ; Mice ; Polymerase Chain Reaction