Brain function assessment in different conscious states

Background: The study of brain functioning is a major challenge in neuroscience fields as human brain has a dynamic and ever changing information processing. Case is worsened with conditions where brain undergoes major changes in so-called different conscious states. Even though the exact definition of consciousness is a hard one, there are certain conditions where the descriptions have reached a consensus. The sleep and the anesthesia are different conditions which are separable from each other and also from wakefulness. The aim of our group has been to tackle the issue of brain functioning with setting up similar research conditions for these three conscious states.Methods: In order to achieve this goal we have designed an auditory stimulation battery with changing conditions to be recorded during a 40 channel EEG polygraph (Nuamps) session. The stimuli (modified mismatch, auditory evoked etc.) have been administered both in the operation room and the sleep lab via Embedded Interactive Stimulus Unit which was developed in our lab. The overall study has provided some results for three domains of consciousness. In order to be able to monitor the changes we have incorporated Bispectral Index Monitoring to both sleep and anesthesia conditions.Results: The first stage results have provided a basic understanding in these altered states such that auditory stimuli have been successfully processed in both light and deep sleep stages. The anesthesia provides a sudden change in brain responsiveness; therefore a dosage dependent anesthetic administration has proved to be useful. The auditory processing was exemplified targeting N1 wave, with a thorough analysis from spectrogram to sLORETA. The frequency components were observed to be shifting throughout the stages. The propofol administration and the deeper sleep stages both resulted in the decreasing of N1 component. The sLORETA revealed similar activity at BA7 in sleep (BIS 70) and target propofol concentration of 1.2 μg/mL.Conclusions: The current study utilized similar stimulation and recording system and incorporated BIS dependent values to validate a common approach to sleep and anesthesia. Accordingly the brain has a complex behavior pattern, dynamically changing its responsiveness in accordance with stimulations and states. © 2010 Ozgoren et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

ANCIENT SHIPYARD ON TURKEY’S DANA ISLAND: ITS 3D MODELLING WITH PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND COMPUTER GRAPHICS

Although a small island 2 km off the southern coast of Turkey, Dana Island offers a rich history which is likely to shed light upon the Dark Ages. Starting from 2015 our archaeological team discovered through continuing coastal and underwater excavations 274 shipsheds/slipways there. This discovery places Dana Island among the biggest shipyards of antiquity. The slipways varied in dimensions suitable for vessels of different sizes from small boats to large warships. Historical sources suggest that the name of the island may stem from Yadnana, Yadana or Adana which was mentioned in an Assyrian tablet of the 8th century BC, as an island in the vicinity of Cyprus. Archaeological evidence exists that shows Dana Island had played a significant role in seamanship activities in Levant starting from Neolithic times. A substantial part of the naval campaigns must have involved Dana Island which used be the biggest shipyard/naval base of the Eastern Mediterranean. A 3D model of the island has been made by using photogrammetry and computer graphics methods and simulations were executed to check the hypotheses related to the involvement of Dana Island in the major sea battles of antiquity, such as Sea Battle of Lade in 495 BC

3D MODELING OF THE ARCHAIC AMPHORAS OF IONIA

Few other regions offer such a rich collection of amphoras than the cities of Ionia. Throughout history amphoras of these cities had been spread all over the Mediterranean. Despite their common characteristics, amphora manufacturing cities of Ionia had their own distinctive styles that can be identified. They differed in details of shape and decoration. Each city produced an authentic type of amphora which served as a trademark of itself and enabled its attribution to where it originated from. That’s why, amphoras provide important insight into commerce of old ages and yield evidence into ancient sailing routes. Owing to this our knowledge of the ancient trade is profoundly enriched. The following is based on the finds of amphoras which originated from the Ionian cities of Chios, Clazomenai, Lesbos, Miletus, and Samos. Starting from city-specific forms which offer interpretative advantages in provenancing, this article surveys the salient features of the regional forms and styles of the those Ionian cities. 3D modeling is utilized with the aim of bringing fresh glimpses of the investigated amphoras by showing how they originally looked. Due to their virtual indestructibility these models offer interpretative advantages by enabling experimental testing of hypotheses upon the finds without risking them. The 3D models in the following sections were reconstructed from numerous fragments of necks, handles, body sherds and bases. They convey in color- unlike the monochrome drawings which we were accustomed to-the texture, decoration, tint and the vitality of the amphoras of Ionia