What's new in WinLTP 3.01 & 3.00

(Go here to see Whats New in WinLTP for All Versions)

 

 

Version 3.01 is a bug fix for WinLTP 3.00 

      WinLTP 3.01 fixes a Protocol Linking bug that now makes linking to work properly again. 

 

 

Version 3.00 is a major upgrade from 2.32

1) Increasing the number of  AD channels from  2 to 6

In WinLTP 2.32 and earlier versions, there were only 2 AD channels.  This has been increased to 6 AD channels in WinLTP 3.00 for both stimulus/acquisition ADsweeps and Continuous Acquision gap-free ABF files (see top of Fig. 1).

 

Fig. 1.  Figure showing the 6 AD channels (top, AD0 to AD5) and 6 of 8 extracellular stimulation outputs (bottom, S0 to S5).  In this figure, S0 was connected to AD0, S1 connected to AD1 and so forth.  The pulse complexity of S0/AD0 - 1 pulse, S1/AD1 - paired pulses, S2/AD2 - single trrain, and S3/AD3 multiple trains / theta burst stimulation were in WinLTP 2.32 and earlier.  The pulse complexity of S4/AD4 - primed burst stimulation, and S5/AD5 - sequential bursts of 2, 3 and 4 pulses followed by 3 primed burst stimulations are only present in WinLTP 3.00.

 

2) Increasing the extracellular stimulation outputs from 2 to 8

In WinLTP 2.32 and earlier versions, there were only 2 extracellular stimulation outputs, S0 and S1.  This has been increased to 8 stimulation outputs, S0 to S7 (the bottom of Fig. 1 shows six of eight stimulation outputs).

  

 

3) More complexity in the extracellular stimulation

Fig 1,shows 6 of 8 extracellular stimulation outputs (bottom, S0 to S5).  In this figure, The pulse complexity of S0/AD0 - 1 pulse, S1/AD1 - paired pulses, S2/AD2 - single trrain, and S3/AD3 multiple trains / theta burst stimulation were in WinLTP 2.32 and earlier.

The pulse complexity of S4/AD4 - primed burst stimulation, and S5/AD5 - sequential bursts of 2, 3 and 4 pulses followed by 3 primed burst stimulations are only present in WinLTP 3.00.

Fig 2. below shows the Sweep Stimulation protocol that generates the S5/AD5 output of sequential bursts of 2, 3 and 4 pulses followed by 3 primed burst stimulations.  The increased complexity of stimulation was achieved by 1)  adding sequential epoch stimulation (for example the first three bursts, 2) adding Begin/End loops (for example for Reptitive Primed Burst Stimulation), and 3) adding Loops within Loops for even more complex stimulation (not shown).

 

Fig 2. shows the Sweep Stimulation protocol (bottom) that generates the S5/AD5 output of sequential bursts of 2, 3 and 4 pulses followed by 3 primed burst stimulations (top).

 

 

4) The interface has been enhanced to deal with the extra AD and stimulation channels

a) By placing the analysis graphs on a second monitor 

Now up to all 12 Analysis Graphs can be placed in a separate form - that can be also displayed in a second monitor (see the right side of Fig. 3).  This is especially useful for multislice experiments.  Or the MainPg analysis graphs can remain on the MainPg and the AnalysisPg graphs can be shown in the separate form.  Or the MainPg analysis graphs only can be shown in the separate form.

 

Fig. 3.  Displaying the Main Progrom (left) and the separate form (right) containing all 12 Analysis Graphs.  The separate form can be also displayed in a second monitor.  The middle panel of the Main Program shows the Continuous Acquisition graphs that are to the left of the ADsweeps.

 

b) By placing Continuous Acquisition graphs to the left of the Sweep graphs 

The middle panel of the Main Program in Fig. 3 shows the Continuous Acquisition graphs that are to the left of the ADsweeps.  Before WinLTP 3.00 the Continuous Acquisition graphs could only be shown above the ADsweep graphs.

 

c) By increasing the AnalysesToDo dialog to 6 AD channels and 8 extracellular stimulation outputs

In WinLTP 2.30 and earlier the AnalysesToDo dialog could only chose to analyse S0 and S1 detections on AD channels AD0 and AD1 together.  In WinLTP 3.00, the AnalysesToDo dialog can analyse S0 to S7 detections on AD channels AD0 to AD5 separaely (Fig. 4.).

 Furthermore, in WinLTP 2.30 and earlier, there were separate columns columns for MainPg and AnalysisPg in the AnalysisToDo dialog box. This mades many unwanted analyses that result in 0.000 values.  In WinLTP 3.00 each checkbox, forinstance DC baseline, S0 and AD0 enables you to display the analysis graph on the MainPg only (enter 'M'); the AnalysisPg only (enter 'A'), both the MainPg and AnalysisPg (enter 'B'),  dont display or analyse it at all (enter a space ' ').

 

Fig. 4.  The WinLTP 3.00 AnalysesToDo dialog box for determining whether to analyze and display up to 14 parameters (DC baseline, Peak Amplitude etc) on up to 8 extracellular outputs (S0 to S7) and on up to 6 AD channels.

 

 

d) You can now adjust the vertical size of the ADsweep graph panels by clicking on the space in between the graphs and dragging it down.

Because you now have 6 AD channels, you may want to display some channels (like intracellular patch clamp recordings at more magnification than extracellular recordings.  WinLTP 3.00 now allows you to do this.  By clicking on the separation panel between two ADsweep graphs (say between AD1 and AD2 graphs), and pulling the mouse cursor down, you will expand all AD graphs above the separation panel and contract the AD graphs below it (see red arrow in Fig. 4B)..

 

Fig. 5.  By clicking on the separation panel between two ADsweep graphs (say between AD1 and AD2 graphs), and pulling the mouse cursor down, you will expand all AD graphs above the separation panel and contract the AD graphs below it (see red arrow in B).  All the AD graphs in A have equal heights.

 

 

5) Reanalysis Only Improvements

a) Using bin2txtswps, convert up to 6 channel ABF, IBW and WCP binary files to up to 6 channel ATF files.  Then use WinLTP to reanalyze these up to 6 channel ATF files.

b) Use WinLTP to reanalyze up to 6 AD channel Generic ATF files

c) Use WinLTP to reanalyze up to 6 AD channel General ASCII Text files

 

 

You WILL have to rewrite your protocol files when upgrading from WinLTP 2.32 or earlier.