Fast, scalable, Bayesian spike identification for multi-electrode arrays

We present an algorithm to identify individual neural spikes observed on high-density multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). Our method can distinguish large numbers of distinct neural units, even when spikes overlap, and accounts for intrinsic variability of spikes from each unit. As MEAs grow larger, it is important to find spike-identification methods that are scalable, that is, the computational cost of spike fitting should scale well with the number of units observed. Our algorithm accomplishes this goal, and is fast, because it exploits the spatial locality of each unit and the basic biophysics of extracellular signal propagation. Human intervention is minimized and streamlined via a graphical interface. We illustrate our method on data from a mammalian retina preparation and document its performance on simulated data consisting of spikes added to experimentally measured background noise. The algorithm is highly accurate

Neural processing of natural sounds

Natural sounds include animal vocalizations, environmental sounds such as wind, water and fire noises and non-vocal sounds made by animals and humans for communication. These natural sounds have characteristic statistical properties that make them perceptually salient and that drive auditory neurons in optimal regimes for information transmission.Recent advances in statistics and computer sciences have allowed neuro-physiologists to extract the stimulus-response function of complex auditory neurons from responses to natural sounds. These studies have shown a hierarchical processing that leads to the neural detection of progressively more complex natural sound features and have demonstrated the importance of the acoustical and behavioral contexts for the neural responses.High-level auditory neurons have shown to be exquisitely selective for conspecific calls. This fine selectivity could play an important role for species recognition, for vocal learning in songbirds and, in the case of the bats, for the processing of the sounds used in echolocation. Research that investigates how communication sounds are categorized into behaviorally meaningful groups (e.g. call types in animals, words in human speech) remains in its infancy.Animals and humans also excel at separating communication sounds from each other and from background noise. Neurons that detect communication calls in noise have been found but the neural computations involved in sound source separation and natural auditory scene analysis remain overall poorly understood. Thus, future auditory research will have to focus not only on how natural sounds are processed by the auditory system but also on the computations that allow for this processing to occur in natural listening situations.The complexity of the computations needed in the natural hearing task might require a high-dimensional representation provided by ensemble of neurons and the use of natural sounds might be the best solution for understanding the ensemble neural code

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Not AvailableA total of 28, 139 and 250 records belonging to 2000 to 2008 were analysed to study the age at first calving, calving interval and gestation length in Indian camel breeds. The age at first calving was 2020.02±59.88 days, calving interval was 676.71±10.60 days and gestation length was 384.12±0.98 days. Though the effect of breed was nonsignificant (P>0.05) on age at first calving, there was enough variation and hence scope for the improvement of this parameter for attaining the puberty at an early age. Proper feeding, management and individual attention are some of the aspects which can be of great use in improving the reproductive efficiency of the camel herd. Induction of puberty in prepubertal females, postpartum breeding and non-seasonal breeding can also be attempted to reduce the age at first calving and calving interval in female camelsNot Availabl

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Not AvailableBody weights at birth, 6-and 12-months of age in 217 spring born Marwari lambs belonging to R., H and G groups were 2.74.: 1: 0.052, 2.66.: 1: 0.15, 2.78.: 1: 0.03; 16.281.: 1: 0.266, 16.37:: 0.557, 15.87.: 1: 0.217 and 22.13:: 0.548, 21.43.: 1: 0.62, 21.49: 1: 0.333 kg respectively. The effect of genetic group was nonsignificant. The effect or month oflambing was significant on pre and post weaning body weights. Hence, efforts should be made to concentrate the lambing in early part of the spring for better growth.Not Availabl

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Not AvailableThe Mewari and Jaisalmeri breeds of camel are among the four major breeds of Indian camel. The Mewari breed is known for the production of milk and its adaptability to the hilly terrain of the Aravali hills in south Rajasthan whereas the Jaisalmeri breed is known for its riding and race potential. A total of 320 camels from 16 herds in eight villages belonging to three districts of the major breeding tract of the Mewari camel were covered. The population of the Mewari camel was estimated to be 16 221 heads with a 28% decline in the last five years. The extent of cross breeding was estimated to be 36%. The average adult Mewari camel had a 193 cm height at wither, 194 cm heart girth and 158 cm body length. Adult Mewari camels produce about 700 grams of hair per annum and the females produce 5–7 litres of milk per day. An integrated rotational grazing pasture development programme could be of great use in …Not Availabl

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Not Availablesee more details and French donkey was studied using Hinf I, Rsa I and Hae III. restriction enzymes. A fragment of 308 bp was successfully amplified in cattle (BoLA), donkey (ELA) and sheep (OLA). The digestion of BoLA-DRB3 fragment with Hinfi revealed heterozygous status at this locus in all the animals under investigation. The molecular size of fragments were 261, 47 and 167, 94 and 47 bp. Analysis of ELA (221 and 87 bp) and OLA DRB3 (212 and 96 bp) fragments revealed homozygous status at this locus. Digestion with HaeIII in donkey resolved two fragments of 169 and 139 bp. Rsa I revealed heterozygous status in all three species. No intra-species variation was detected. The fragments observed in cattle and sheep were of the same size (308 and 160, 81, 67 bp) indicating the genetic similarity in the two species. In French donkeys donkeys Subject Category: Organism NamesNot Availabl

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Not Availablesee more details studied were all of homozygous BB genotype and hence can be used for the improvement of populations having very low frequency of this favourable allele. Amplification of k-casein locus could not be achieved in camel (Camelus camelus Subject Category: Organism Names see more details dromedarius) using above primers despite of the close homology between camel and bovine in the 5′ flanking region adjacent to the transcriptional start site of kappa-casein kappa-casein Subject Category: Chemicals and Chemical GroupsNot Availabl

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Not AvailableThe camel population in India is facing a severe decline which demands that immediate steps are taken to ensure its conservation. Characterisation is an integral part of the conservation program. The Polymerase Chain Reaction-Randomly Amplified Polymorphic DNA profile of unrelated camels of the Bikaneri (29), Jaisalmeri (30) and Kachchhi (18) breeds were analyzed. Reproducible polymorphic bands with varying frequencies among the three breeds of camel were obtained with five oligonucleotide primers. A total of 75 bands were amplified, of which 27 (36%) were polymorphic. The probability of obtaining identical fingerprints was observed to be the lowest in primer GC-10 (5.7%) followed by OP-08 (8.7%), GT-10 (11.3%), G-2 (15.5%) and G-1 (80%). Breed informative bands were amplified. The maximum genetic variability was observed in the Bikaneri (0.80±0.05) followed by the Kachchhi (0.84±0.06) and …Not Availabl