scholarly journals Open source tools for temporally controlled rodent behavior suitable for electrophysiology and optogenetic manipulations

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola Solari ◽  
Katalin Sviatkó ◽  
Tamás Laszlovszky ◽  
Panna Hegedüs ◽  
Balázs Hangya
Keyword(s):  
Temporal Coding ◽  
Neuronal Firing ◽  
Behavior Control ◽  
Behavioral Experiments ◽  
Neural Signals ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Rodent Behavior ◽  
High Standards ◽  
Millisecond Timing ◽  
And Control

AbstractUnderstanding how the brain controls behavior requires observing and manipulating neural activity in awake behaving animals. Neuronal firing is timed at millisecond precision. Therefore, to decipher temporal coding, it is necessary to monitor and control animal behavior at the same level of temporal accuracy. However, it is technically challenging to deliver sensory stimuli and reinforcers as well as to read the behavioral responses they elicit with millisecond precision. Presently available commercial systems often excel in specific aspects of behavior control, but they do not provide a customizable environment allowing flexible experimental design while maintaining high standards for temporal control necessary for interpreting neuronal activity. Moreover, delay measurements of stimulus and reinforcement delivery are largely unavailable. We combined microcontroller-based behavior control with a sound delivery system for playing complex acoustic stimuli, fast solenoid valves for precisely timed reinforcement delivery and a custom-built sound attenuated chamber using high-end industrial insulation materials. Together this setup provides a physical environment to train head-fixed animals, enables calibrated sound stimuli and precisely timed fluid and air puff presentation as reinforcers. We provide latency measurements for stimulus and reinforcement delivery and an algorithm to perform such measurements on other behavior control systems. Combined with electrophysiology and optogenetic manipulations, the millisecond timing accuracy will help interpret temporally precise neural signals and behavioral changes. Additionally, since software and hardware provided here can be readily customized to achieve a large variety of paradigms, these solutions enable an unusually flexible design of rodent behavioral experiments.

scholarly journals Ear-Bot: Locust Ear-on-a-Chip Bio-Hybrid Platform

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 228
Author(s):  
Idan Fishel ◽  
Yoni Amit ◽  
Neta Shvil ◽  
Anton Sheinin ◽  
Amir Ayali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Proof Of Concept ◽  
Robotic Platform ◽  
Neural Signals ◽  
Technological Approach ◽  
Hybrid Platform ◽  
And Control ◽  
Robust Sensing ◽  
Robotic Sensing ◽  
Sound Pulses

During hundreds of millions of years of evolution, insects have evolved some of the most efficient and robust sensing organs, often far more sensitive than their man-made equivalents. In this study, we demonstrate a hybrid bio-technological approach, integrating a locust tympanic ear with a robotic platform. Using an Ear-on-a-Chip method, we manage to create a long-lasting miniature sensory device that operates as part of a bio-hybrid robot. The neural signals recorded from the ear in response to sound pulses, are processed and used to control the robot’s motion. This work is a proof of concept, demonstrating the use of biological ears for robotic sensing and control.

scholarly journals Reaction Time to Visual Stimulus in Firefighters and Healthy Trained Subjects: A Preliminary Comparative Study

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-77
Author(s):  
Fabrizio Perroni ◽  
Eric Mol ◽  
Anthony Walker ◽  
Calogero Alaimo ◽  
Laura Guidetti ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reaction Time ◽  
Job Performance ◽  
Stimulus Duration ◽  
Working Environment ◽  
The Other ◽  
Cognitive Responses ◽  
Anthropometric Parameters ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Post Hoc ◽  
And Control

Background: In order to stay safe, and to successfully complete their work, firefighters have to constantly assess and process large numbers of sensory stimuli and adapt to the inherent risks present in the working environment. Objective: The purposes of the present preliminary study were to analyse the speed of Reaction Time responses (RT) of Italian Firefighters and to compare their cognitive responses with non-firefighting subjects. Methods: Anthropometric (weight, height and BMI) and RT (time-to-completion –TTC-, mean of reaction time –MRT-, and errors made -E-) evaluations were administered at 16 volunteers (Age: 40.3 ± 6.7 yrs; BMI: 23.8 ± 2.3 kg/m2) divided in Firefighters (FG) and Control (CG) groups. RT test consisted of 3 trials (T1 = 1s of stimulus duration and 1s interval between stimulus and the other; T2 = 0.5s of stimulus duration and 1s interval between stimulus and the other; T3 = 0.5s of stimulus duration and 0.5s interval between stimulus and the other). Mann Whitney U test between groups was applied to asses differences (p ≤ 0.05) in TTC, MRT, and E while Friedmann test and Dunn-Sidak post hoc were used to evaluate significant differences in the 3 trials in each variable of each group. Results: No significant differences based on anthropometric parameters were observed between groups. Despite no significant differences emerged for TTC and MRT between groups, we observed significant differences in E between groups (CG = 4; FG =12) and in the 3rd condition in each variable of each group. Conclusion: Workout programs that integrate reaction time training with job performance should be created to increase job performance.

scholarly journals Evaluation of antimicrobial resistance, biofilm forming potential, and the presence of biofilm-related genes among clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Esmat Kamali ◽  
Ailar Jamali ◽  
Abdollah Ardebili ◽  
Freshteh Ezadi ◽  
Alireza Mohebbi
Keyword(s):  
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa ◽  
Antimicrobial Resistance ◽  
Multidrug Resistant ◽  
Infection Prevention And Control ◽  
Beta Lactam ◽  
Antimicrobial Susceptibility Pattern ◽  
Combination Strategies ◽  
High Standards ◽  
And Control ◽  
Genotypic Characteristics

Abstract Objectives Pseudomonas aeruginosa is known as a leading cause of nosocomial infections worldwide. Antimicrobial resistance and biofilm production, as two main virulence factors of P. aeruginosa, are responsible for the persistence of prolonged infections. In this study, antimicrobial susceptibility pattern and phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of biofilm of P. aeruginosa were investigated. Results A total of 80 clinical P. aeruginosa isolates were obtained. Isolates showed resistance to all antibiotics with a rate from 12.5% (n = 10) against amikacin and piperacillin/tazobactam to 23.75% (n = 19) to levofloxacin. Multidrug-resistant P. aeruginosa accounted for 20% (n = 16). 83.75% (n = 67) of isolates showed biofilm phenotype. All three biofilm-related genes were found simultaneously in 87.5% (n = 70) of P. aeruginosa and 13.5% (n = 10) of the isolates had none of the genes tested. From the results of the present study, combination therapy including an anti-pseudomonal beta-lactam (piperacillin/tazobactam or ceftazidime) and an aminoglycoside or carbapenems (imipenem, meropenem) with fluoroquinolones in conjunction with an aminoglycoside can be used against Pseudomonas infections. However, reasonable antimicrobial use and high standards of infection prevention and control are essential to prevent further development of antimicrobial resistance. Combination strategies based on the proper anti-pseudomonal antibiotics along with anti-biofilm agents can also be selected to eradicate biofilm-associated infections.

LONG ISLAND POINT FRACTIONATION PLANT FACILITIES LIFE EXTENSION

2007 ◽  
Vol 47 (1) ◽  
pp. 301
Author(s):  
G.R. Keen ◽  
M.G. Sethi
Keyword(s):  
Oil And Gas ◽  
Long Island ◽  
Life Extension ◽  
Safe Operation ◽  
Design Life ◽  
Oil And Gas Resources ◽  
High Standards ◽  
Fractionation Plant ◽  
And Control

ExxonMobil Australia Pty Ltd’s subsidiary, Esso Australia Resources Pty Ltd (ExxonMobil), and BHP Billiton jointly own and operate an LPG fractionation facility at Long Island Point, near Hastings in Victoria. This facility began operating in 1970 as part of the overall development of Gippsland oil and gas resources. The facility had a nominal design life of 30 years; however, the facility will be required to operate for many more years, given the significant gas reserves remaining in Bass Strait. A plan was developed to identify and progress plant facility upgrades to ensure continued, safe operation to life end. Nine separate projects with a total value in excess of A$250 million were developed and are now in various stages of progress. The key projects include: refrigerated LPG storage tank refurbishment, fire system upgrade, a new control room and control system, and plant emergency shutdown system upgrades. These projects focus on achieving high standards of safe operations and long-term reliability through application of advances in technology to ready the facilities for their remaining life.

scholarly journals Effect of genes, social experience, and their interaction on the courtship behaviour of transgenic Drosophila males

2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 183-193 ◽  
Author(s):  
NICOLAS SVETEC ◽  
BENJAMIN HOUOT ◽  
JEAN-FRANÇOIS FERVEUR
Keyword(s):  
Drosophila Melanogaster ◽  
Adult Development ◽  
Strong Interaction ◽  
Social Experience ◽  
Courtship Behaviour ◽  
Male Courtship ◽  
Variable Effect ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
And Control ◽  
Transgenic Drosophila

Behaviour depends (a) on genes that specify the neural and non-neural elements involved in the perception of and responses to sensory stimuli and (b) on experience that can modulate the fine development of these elements. We exposed transgenic and control Drosophila melanogaster males, and their hybrids, to male siblings during adult development and measured the contribution of genes and of experience to their courtship behaviour. The transgene CheB42a specifically targets male gustatory sensillae and alters the perception of male inhibitory pheromones which leads to frequent male–male interactions. The age at which social experience occurred and the genotype of tester males induced a variable effect on the intensity of male homo- and heterosexual courtship. The strong interaction between the effects of genes and of social experience reveals the plasticity of the apparently stereotyped elements involved in male courtship behaviour. Finally, a high intensity of homosexual courtship was found only in males that simultaneously carried a mutation in their white gene and the CheB42a transgene.

scholarly journals Dynamic contrast enhancement and flexible odor codes

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Srinath Nizampatnam ◽  
Debajit Saha ◽  
Rishabh Chandak ◽  
Baranidharan Raman
Keyword(s):  
Contrast Enhancement ◽  
Antennal Lobe ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Evoked Responses ◽  
Computational Logic ◽  
Behavioral Experiments ◽  
Dynamic Contrast Enhancement ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Temporal Features ◽  
The Stability

ABSTRACTSensory stimuli evoke spiking activities patterned across neurons and time that are hypothesized to encode information about their identity. Since the same stimulus can be encountered in a multitude of ways, how stable or flexible are these stimulus-evoked responses? Here, we examined this issue in the locust olfactory system. In the antennal lobe, we found that both spatial and temporal features of odor-evoked responses varied in a stimulus-history dependent manner. The response variations were not random, but allowed the antennal lobe circuit to enhance the uniqueness of the current stimulus. Nevertheless, information about the odorant identity became confounded due to this contrast-enhancement computation. Notably, a linear logical classifier (OR-of-ANDs) that can decode information distributed in flexible subsets of neurons generated predictions that matched results from our behavioral experiments. In sum, our results reveal a simple computational logic for achieving the stability vs. flexibility tradeoff in sensory coding.

scholarly journals Multisensory Integration as per Technological Advances: A Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia Cornelio ◽  
Carlos Velasco ◽  
Marianna Obrist
Keyword(s):  
Multisensory Integration ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Sensory Information ◽  
Sensory Stimulation ◽  
Taste Perception ◽  
Physical Contact ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Technological Advances ◽  
And Control ◽  
Virtual Events

Multisensory integration research has allowed us to better understand how humans integrate sensory information to produce a unitary experience of the external world. However, this field is often challenged by the limited ability to deliver and control sensory stimuli, especially when going beyond audio–visual events and outside laboratory settings. In this review, we examine the scope and challenges of new technology in the study of multisensory integration in a world that is increasingly characterized as a fusion of physical and digital/virtual events. We discuss multisensory integration research through the lens of novel multisensory technologies and, thus, bring research in human–computer interaction, experimental psychology, and neuroscience closer together. Today, for instance, displays have become volumetric so that visual content is no longer limited to 2D screens, new haptic devices enable tactile stimulation without physical contact, olfactory interfaces provide users with smells precisely synchronized with events in virtual environments, and novel gustatory interfaces enable taste perception through levitating stimuli. These technological advances offer new ways to control and deliver sensory stimulation for multisensory integration research beyond traditional laboratory settings and open up new experimentations in naturally occurring events in everyday life experiences. Our review then summarizes these multisensory technologies and discusses initial insights to introduce a bridge between the disciplines in order to advance the study of multisensory integration.

scholarly journals A synaptic threshold mechanism for computing escape decisions

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.A Evans ◽  
A.V. Stempel ◽  
R. Vale ◽  
S. Ruehle ◽  
Y. Lefler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Network Activity ◽  
Biophysical Model ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Recurrent Excitation ◽  
Threshold Mechanism ◽  
Threat Level ◽  
Deep Layers ◽  
Defensive Behaviours ◽  
And Control ◽  
The Brain

Escaping from imminent danger is an instinctive behaviour fundamental for survival that requires classifying sensory stimuli as harmless or threatening. The absence of threat allows animals to forage for essential resources, but as the level of threat and potential for harm increases, they have to decide whether or not to seek safety1. Despite previous work on instinctive defensive behaviours in rodents2–13, little is known about how the brain computes the threat level for initiating escape. Here we show that the probability and vigour of escape in mice scale with the intensity of innate threats, and are well described by a theoretical model that computes the distance between threat level and an escape threshold. Calcium imaging and optogenetics in the midbrain of freely behaving mice show that the activity of excitatory VGluT2+ neurons in the deep layers of the medial superior colliculus (mSC) represents the threat stimulus intensity and is predictive of escape, whereas dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) VGluT2+ neurons encode exclusively the escape choice and control escape vigour. We demonstrate a feed-forward monosynaptic excitatory connection from mSC to dPAG neurons that is weak and unreliable, yet necessary for escape behaviour, and which we suggest provides a synaptic threshold for dPAG activation and the initiation of escape. This threshold can be overcome by high mSC network activity because of short-term synaptic facilitation and recurrent excitation within the mSC, which amplifies and sustains synaptic drive to the dPAG. Thus, dPAG VGluT2+ neurons compute escape decisions and vigour using a synaptic mechanism to threshold threat information received from the mSC, and provide a biophysical model of how the brain performs a critical behavioural computation.

scholarly journals A Hypothesis Regarding how Sleep can Calibrate Neuronal Excitability in the Central Nervous System and thereby Offer Stability, Sensitivity and the Best Possible Cognitive Function

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sture Hansson
Keyword(s):  
Central Nervous System ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Neuronal Excitability ◽  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
Reaction Times ◽  
Epileptic Seizures ◽  
Neuronal Firing ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
The Central Nervous System ◽  
Function Of Sleep

The function of sleep in mammal and other vertebrates is one of the great mysteries of biology. Many hypotheses have been proposed, but few of these have made even the slightest attempt to explain the essence of sleep - the uncompromising need for reversible unconsciousness. During sleep, epiphenomena - often of a somatic character - occur, but these cannot explain the core function of sleep. One answer could be hidden in the observations made for long periods of time of the function of the central nervous system (CNS). The CNS is faced with conflicting requirements on stability and excitability. A high level of excitability is desirable, and is also a prerequisite for sensitivity and quick reaction times; however, it can also lead to instability and the risk of feedback, with life-threatening epileptic seizures. Activity-dependent negative feedback in neuronal excitability improves stability in the short term, but not to the degree that is required. A hypothesis is presented here demonstrating how calibration of individual neurons - an activity which occurs only during sleep - can establish the balanced and highest possible excitability while also preserving stability in the CNS. One example of a possible mechanism is the observation of slow oscillations in EEGs made on birds and mammals during slow wave sleep. Calibration to a genetically determined level of excitability could take place in individual neurons during the slow oscillation, so that action potentials are generated during the oscillations “up-phase”. This can only take place offline, which explains the need for sleep. The hypothesis can explain phenomena such as the need for unconsciousness during sleep, with the disconnection of sensory stimuli, slow EEG oscillations, the relationship of sleep and epilepsy, age, the effects of sleep on neuronal firing rate and the effects of sleep deprivation and sleep homeostasis. This is with regard primarily to mammals, including humans, but also all other vertebrates.

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