1st INCF Workshop on Neuroanatomical Nomenclature and Taxonomy

The goal of this workshop was to agree on a general strategy for developing a systematic, useful, and scientifically appropriate framework for neuroanatomical nomenclature. The workshop focused on general principles that will serve as a basis for future decisions on implementation strategies. The report discusses the problems arising from the use of different parcellation schemes and use of different terminologies and highlights the need of a universal vocabulary for describing the structural organization of the nervous system. Workshop participants encourage the creation of an International Coordinating Committee for Neuroanatomical Nomenclature and propose short- and long-term goals for such a committee

A Comparison of Two Types of Turns Used in the Breaststroke and Butterfly

This study compared the speed of the touch-turn to the grab-turn using the competitive butterfly and breaststrokes. The subjects were twenty five male high school swimmers, all of whom had at least three years of competitive experience. All subjects received instruction on each turn during 16 weeks of a competitive season and practiced each turn dozens of times. Each subject was tested on the speed of each turn. The tests were given on two consecutive days to establish reliability. The Pearson Product Moment correlation was used to determine the relationship of the initial test to the retest. An analysis of variance was used to ascertain if any significant difference existed between the two types of turns. The conclusions were that no significant difference existed between the time of the touch-turn and the grab-turn when used with the butterfly stroke and the breaststroke

Collating and Curating Neuroanatomical Nomenclatures: Principles and Use of the Brain Architecture Knowledge Management System (BAMS)

Terms used to describe nervous system parts and their interconnections are rife with synonyms, partial correspondences, and even homonyms, making effective scientific communication unnecessarily difficult. To address this problem a new Topological Relations schema for the Relations module of BAMS (Brain Architecture Knowledge Management System) was created. It includes a representation of the qualitative spatial relations between nervous system parts defined in different neuroanatomical nomenclatures or atlases and is general enough to record data and metadata from the literature, regardless of description level or species. Based on this foundation a Projections Translations inference engine was developed for the BAMS interface that automatically translates neuroanatomical projection (axonal inputs and outputs) reports across nomenclatures from translated information. To make BAMS more useful to the neuroscience community three things were done. First, we implemented a simple schema for validation of the translated neuroanatomical projections. Second, more than 1,000 topological relations between brain gray matter regions for the rat were inserted, along with associated details. Finally, a case study was performed to enter all historical or legacy published information about terminology related to one relatively complex gray matter region of the rat. The bed nuclei of the stria terminalis (BST) were chosen and 21 different nomenclatures from 1923 to present were collated, along with 284 terms for parts (gray matter differentiations), 360 qualitative topological relations between parts, and more than 7,000 details about spatial relations between parts, all of which was annotated with appropriate metadata. This information was used to construct a graphical “knowledge map” of relations used in the literature to describe subdivisions of the rat BST

BAMS Neuroanatomical Ontology: Design and Implementation

We describe in this paper the structure and main features of a domain specific ontology for neuroscience, the BAMS Neuroanatomical Ontology. The ontology includes a complete set of concepts that describe the parts of the rat nervous system, a growing set of concepts that describe neuron populations identified in different brain regions, and relationships between concepts. The ontology is linked with a complex representation of structural and physiological variables used to classify neurons, which is encoded in BAMS. BAMS Neuroanatomical Ontology is accessible on the web and includes an interface that allows browsing terms, viewing criteria for classification, and accessing associated information

Multi-parameter optimization tool for low-cost commercial fuselage crown designs

The work in progress for developing a methodology and software tool to aid in the optimal design of composite structures is discussed. The methodology is being developed to take advantage of the ability to tailor the composite material in conjunction with the design of the structure. The composites optimization design software UWCODA was found to be very successful in preliminary testing and early experience. UWCODA is a composites design code that uses a number of plies and fiber angles as design variables, employs maximum strain failure criteria for objective function and additional constraints, includes Boeing design tools for stiffened panels, and includes stiffener geometry in the design variables

Evaluating structural and exterior components in older Minnesota homes

13 pages; includes drawings. This archival publication may not reflect current scientific knowledge or recommendations. Current information available from the University of Minnesota Extension: https://www.extension.umn.edu

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Lhx6 Delineates a Pathway Mediating Innate Reproductive Behaviors from the Amygdala to the Hypothalamus

In mammals, innate reproductive and defensive behaviors are mediated by anatomically segregated connections between the amygdala and hypothalamus. This anatomic segregation poses the problem of how the brain integrates activity in these circuits when faced with conflicting stimuli eliciting such mutually exclusive behaviors. Using genetically encoded and conventional axonal tracers, we have found that the transcription factor Lhx6 delineates the reproductive branch of this pathway. Other Lhx proteins mark neurons in amygdalar nuclei implicated in defense. We have traced parallel projections from the posterior medial amygdala, activated by reproductive or defensive olfactory stimuli, respectively, to a point of convergence in the ventromedial hypothalamus. The opposite neurotransmitter phenotypes of these convergent projections suggest a “gate control” mechanism for the inhibition of reproductive behaviors by threatening stimuli. Our data therefore identify a potential neural substrate for integrating the influences of conflicting behavioral cues and a transcription factor family that may contribute to the development of this substrate

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