Integrated annotations and analyses of small RNA-producing loci from 47 diverse plants.

Plant endogenous small RNAs (sRNAs) are important regulators of gene expression. There are two broad categories of plant sRNAs: microRNAs (miRNAs) and endogenous short interfering RNAs (siRNAs). MicroRNA loci are relatively well-annotated but compose only a small minority of the total sRNA pool; siRNA locus annotations have lagged far behind.

MicroRNAs from the parasitic plant Cuscuta campestris target host messenger RNAs.

Dodders (Cuscuta spp.) are obligate parasitic plants that obtain water and nutrients from the stems of host plants via specialized feeding structures called haustoria. Dodder haustoria facilitate bidirectional movement of viruses, proteins and mRNAs between host and parasite, but the functional effects of these movements are not known.

Endovascular repair of a tracheoinnominate fistula with a stent graft.

Massive bleeding from a tracheostomy developed in a 65-year-old woman with stroke after successful conservative management of a minor tracheostomy bleeding episode. Temporary hemostasis was achieved, and angiography showed a tracheoinnominate fistula (TIF), a rare complication of tracheostomy. Open surgery was contraindicated in this patient, so endovascular repair using a stent graft was performed.

Effect of selective proteasome inhibitors on TNF-induced activation of primary and transformed endothelial cells.

The objective of this study was to assess the effects of two structurally distinct yet selective proteasome inhibitors (PS-341 and lactacystin) on leukocyte adhesion, endothelial cell adhesion molecule (ECAM) expression, and nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kappaB) activation in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and the transformed, HUVEC-derived, ECV cell line. We found that TNF (10 ng/ml) significantly enhanced U-937 and polymorphonuclear neutrophil (PMN) adhesion to HUVEC but not to ECV; TNF also significantly enhanced surface expression of vascular cell adhesion molecule 1 and E-selectin (in HUVEC only), as well as intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1; in HUVEC and ECV). Pretreatment of HUVEC with lactacystin completely blocked TNF-stimulated PMN adhesion, partially blocked U-937 adhesion, and completely blocked TNF-stimulated ECAM expression.

Differential monocyte adhesion and adhesion molecule expression in venous and arterial endothelial cells.

We compared U-937 cell adhesion and adhesion molecule expression in human umbilical venous (HUVECs) and arterial (HUAECs) endothelial cells exposed to tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin-1, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). TNF and LPS stimulated vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1 surface expression and adhesion of U-937 monocyte-like cells to HUVECs but not to HUAECs. Antibody studies demonstrated that in HUVECs at least 75% of the adhesion response is VCAM-1 mediated.