Specific Aims: The purpose of the C/EE Core is to develop computer programs that control experimentalequipment and analyze the data from the experiments of the P30 Core Center Vestibular Researchers andMolecular Biologists. The C/EE Core will also develop new analysis methodologies and design and constructnew electronic equipment that makes collaborative and translational experiments possible. The Core is alsoresponsible for updating computer software and providing a stable network. We propose two Specific Aims tomeet the goals of the research:
Specific Aim 1 : Develop computer software and electronic hardware that will promote experimentsacross the Core Center, making effective use of cutting edge methodologies. These principles will beapplied to the following projects (Primary collaborators listed for each set of tasks):A. Monkey Experiments (Yakushin/Raphan/Cohen): 1. Develop and install new positional controllers on therotators using incremental recorders that have no dead zones. 2. Design control electronics for measuring thecervico-ocular reflex (COR) in monkeys. 3. Design and build (with the ME Core) new micromanipulators thatcan be used in adaptation experiments and for freely moving monkeys. 4. Modify the training system,previously developed for monkeys in convergence experiments, so that animals will watch a fixed point inspace while they walk on a linear treadmill. 5. Develop a multiple channel video imaging system so that top,back and side images of the monkey can be viewed with the data while animals walk on linear or circulartreadmills. This will also be used in human locomotion experiments. 6. Modify the eye movement recordingsystem for monkey locomotion, which now records only one eye, to be binocular so the point of fixation inspace can be determined. 7. Utilize the Kunin/Raphan algorithms developed for humans and for head-fixedmonkeys on a linear sled to determine the binocular fixation point of the eyes in space during monkeylocomotion (This will also be applied to all studies of human locomotion).B. Mouse Physiological, Neuroanatomic and Molecular Biological Studies (Yakushin/ Holstein/Sealfon/Margolskee/Max/Bedrich/Cohen/Sclafani/Raphan): 1. Update the eye movement recording systemfor the mouse on the Cosmos rotator from Labview to Matlab to stabilize the frame rate and allow it to bemodified. 2. Update the camera frame rates from 30 to 120 Hz. 3. Develop a multi-channel video imagingcapability to store binocular eye images in conjunction with the horizontal, torsional and vertical eye positiondata that are transformed from the video images. 4. Generate analysis techniques for establishing eyemovements relative to head coordinates of the mouse. 5. Generate apparatus for heart rate and bloodpressure measurements in the rat to determine the impact of the vestibule-sympathetic reflex during changesin head position relative to gravity. 6. Utilize software and hardware developed for humans to stimulate thevestibular nerves of rats and activate the vestibulo-sympathetic reflex.C. Molecular Biology Model Implementation (Margolskee/Max/Mossinger/Raphan): Design andimplement multiprocessor workstations to facilitate individual use of computers in molecular biologicalmodeling. Update the molecular modeling software so that open source systems such as Visual MolecularDynamics (VMD) can be utilized under Linux. This would make analysis of molecular structure more accessibleto individual investigators.D. Human Motion Sickness and Vestibulo-Autonomic Studies (Dai/Cohen/Kaufmann/Raphan/Straumann): 1. Convert the data system of the University of Zurich (for Dr. Straumann, who is collaborating onthe motion sickness project), into a format compatible with the VMF data analysis system used at Mount Sinai.2. Implement the video-based binocular recording technique developed for the human locomotion project in theOVAR rotator. 3. Upgrade the controller on the circular treadmill so that it can be used to adapt the verticalaVOR time constant to determine if it reduces motion sickness susceptibility. 4. Develop a miniature devicethat will be placed on the rotating chair to record muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) from the peronealnerve during OVAR; also develop a portable stimulator to map the trajectory of the peroneal nerve todetermine the point of insertion of the microelectrodes; both devices must be small, portable and batterypowered. 5. With the ME Core, build a new 3-D optokinetic controller and stimulator for the OVAR enclosurewith new gears and motors. 6. Build a computer-controlled device to measure the subjective visual verticalwhen stationary and during OVAR. 7. Work with the ME Core to establish humidity and temperature control inthe OVAR enclosure.E. Human Locomotion Studies (Raphan/Cohen/Cho/Smouha/Olanow): 1. With the ME Core, devise acontroller to lift the back of the linear treadmill to test subjects for downhill walking. 2. Build a video system thatrecords the top, side and back while walking; embed the video into the data files. 3. Modify the control circuitsof the linear and circular treadmills to be computer controlled. 4. Devise a control mechanism to present visuallaser targets in random order for studies of head movement control in normals and patients with dystonia.
Specific Aim 2 : Do software and hardware maintenance. Provide support services that will maintain andupgrade existing hardware and software and work to establish links between the new members of theResearch Base and the extant Core Members. Assist in building and interfacing the hardware developed inSpecific Aim 1 and maintain network connections across the Core both at Brooklyn College and Mount Sinai.Also install and maintain new operating systems and applications software to keep the laboratories at thecutting edge of technological development and troubleshoot problems as they arise.
Showing the most recent 10 out of 48 publications
