Evidence of Key Tinnitus-Related Brain Regions Documented by a Unique Combination of Manganese-Enhanced MRI and Acoustic Startle Reflex Testing

Animal models continue to improve our understanding of tinnitus pathogenesis and aid in development of new treatments. However, there are no diagnostic biomarkers for tinnitus-related pathophysiology for use in awake, freely moving animals. To address this disparity, two complementary methods were combined to examine reliable tinnitus models (rats repeatedly administered salicylate or exposed to a single noise event): inhibition of acoustic startle and manganese-enhanced MRI. Salicylate-induced tinnitus resulted in wide spread supernormal manganese uptake compared to noise-induced tinnitus. Neither model demonstrated significant differences in the auditory cortex. Only in the dorsal cortex of the inferior colliculus (DCIC) did both models exhibit supernormal uptake. Therefore, abnormal membrane depolarization in the DCIC appears to be important in tinnitus-mediated activity. Our results provide the foundation for future studies correlating the severity and longevity of tinnitus with hearing loss and neuronal activity in specific brain regions and tools for evaluating treatment efficacy across paradigms

Controllable functionalization and wettability transition of graphene-based films by an atomic oxygen strategy

Though chemical modification of graphene based on Hummers method has been most widely used to tailor its properties and interfacial characteristics, a method which could achieve definitive and controllable groups and properties is still highly required. Here, we demonstrate a high-vacuum oxidation strategy by atomic oxygen (AO) and investigate the AO induced functionalization and wettability transition in films made from basal-defect- and oxide-free graphene dispersions. These graphene-based films are neither graphene nor graphite, but graphene blocks constituted by numerous randomly stacked graphene flakes. It is found that AO induced functionalization of these films through the formation of epoxy groups, sp(3) configuration, ether, and double and triple C–O groups. The films turn to be hydrophilic after exposed to AO. The contact angle increases with AO exposure time. This phenomenon is attributed to the lower surface roughness induced by collision and/or edge erosion of energetic ions to the film surface and is further explained by the Wenzel model. The demonstrated strategy can overcome limitations of Hummers method, provide possibility to gain functionalization and wettability transition in liquid-phase exfoliated basal-defect- and oxide-free graphene in the dry environment, and may extend the study and application of this material in spacecraft in low earth orbit

Biological Roles of the O-Methyl Phosphoramidate Capsule Modification in Campylobacter jejuni.

Campylobacter jejuni is a major cause of bacterial gastroenteritis worldwide, and the capsular polysaccharide (CPS) of this organism is required for persistence and disease. C. jejuni produces over 47 different capsular structures, including a unique O-methyl phosphoramidate (MeOPN) modification present on most C. jejuni isolates. Although the MeOPN structure is rare in nature it has structural similarity to some synthetic pesticides. In this study, we have demonstrated, by whole genome comparisons and high resolution magic angle spinning NMR, that MeOPN modifications are common to several Campylobacter species. Using MeOPN biosynthesis and transferase mutants generated in C. jejuni strain 81-176, we observed that loss of MeOPN from the cell surface correlated with increased invasion of Caco-2 epithelial cells and reduced resistance to killing by human serum. In C. jejuni, the observed serum mediated killing was determined to result primarily from activation of the classical complement pathway. The C. jejuni MeOPN transferase mutant showed similar levels of colonization relative to the wild-type in chickens, but showed a five-fold drop in colonization when co-infected with the wild-type in piglets. In Galleria mellonella waxmoth larvae, the MeOPN transferase mutant was able to kill the insects at wild-type levels. Furthermore, injection of the larvae with MeOPN-linked monosaccharides or CPS purified from the wild-type strain did not result in larval killing, indicating that MeOPN does not have inherent insecticidal activity