Retinal physiology: non-bipolar-cell excitatory drive in the inner retina

The long-held view that bipolar cells provide the exclusive excitatory drive to the mammalian inner retina has been challenged: new studies indicate that, instead, at least two cells that lack the dendrites characteristic for bipolar cells, and therefore resemble amacrine cells, excite inner retinal circuits using glutamate

FrankeEtAl_BCs_2017_cs_raw

This file contains the response traces to the center-surround noise from Fig. 5. For details, see pdf

FrankeEtAl_BCs_2017_chirp_byrepeat

This file contains the individual repeats in response to the chirp stimulus. For details, see pdf

FrankeEtAl_BCs_2017_drugdata

This file contains the responses to the same stimuli as in the main dataset under application of different drugs as for the analysis shown in Fig. 4. For details, see pdf

FrankeEtAl_BCs_2017_step_byrepeat

This file contains the individual repeats in response to the step stimulus. For details, see pdf

FrankeEtAl_BCs_2017_main

This data file contains the main dataset used for the clustering shown in Fig. 2 of the paper. Details about the different variables are available in the attached pdf

FrankeEtAl_BCs_2017_noise_raw

This file contains the response traces for the dense noise stimulus used for mapping RFs. For details, see pdf

Open resources for self-taught learning of programming, electronics, and basic physics.

<p>Open resources for self-taught learning of programming, electronics, and basic physics.</p

Open Labware at universities in sub-Saharan Africa.

<p>An online survey was taken by 89 biomedical researchers (MSc. to Professor) at universities in 12 different sub-Saharan African countries in August 2014. Researchers rated their own competency and awareness in aspects of software and hardware usage. <b>A</b>, Software competency rated on a scale of 1 (low) to 10 (high) in “basic usage such as navigating office software or the internet,” “usage of open analysis packages such as R [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002086#pbio.1002086.ref044" target="_blank">44</a>], octave [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002086#pbio.1002086.ref045" target="_blank">45</a>], or similar,” and “programming, e.g., using C++, python, or any other mainstream language.” <b>B</b>, Hardware awareness for possibilities in “3-D printing” (top) and “single board computers/microcontrollers such as Raspberry Pi, Arduino, Beagleboard, or similar” rated in four categories: (i) “I have never heard of this,” (ii) “I have heard of it but I have no access,” (iii) “I have tried using this at least once,” (iv) “I am a competent/routine user.”</p

Evolution of an Open Labware design.

<p><b>A</b>, A 3-D printable micromanipulator with a slanted Z-axis [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002086#pbio.1002086.ref018" target="_blank">18</a>], here shown amidst commercial alternatives, initially served as the basis for a motorized version with “real” Z axis [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002086#pbio.1002086.ref032" target="_blank">32</a>] (B). <b>B</b>_<b>1,2,</b> the three axes are driven by continuous-rotation micro-servos, controlled by an Arduino fitted with a Joystick-shield and a 9V battery. <b>B</b>_<b>3</b>, The motorized manipulator offers sufficient precision to target individual hairs on the head of a fruitfly (±5–20 μm during movements, depending on printer precision; <1 μm drift min^-1 when stationary). Scale bar 1 mm. <b>C</b>_<b>1</b>, The same manipulator build was then converted into a microscope-stage to permit accurate placement and focus of histology samples [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002086#pbio.1002086.ref034" target="_blank">34</a>]. The optics are provided by an off-the-shelf, low-power acrylic lens positioned directly above a Raspberry Pi camera module [<a href="http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.1002086#pbio.1002086.ref003" target="_blank">3</a>]. C₂, Image taken with the microscope, showing a slice of mouse brain (hippocampus) stained for cytochrome oxidase C. Scale bar 500 μm.</p