What's New in WinLTP 2.00?

 

Changes to WinLTP (version 2.00) from WinLTP (version 1.11b)  (December, 2011)

    

Note:

This 2.00 version upgrade is for the National Instruments M-Series boards

The legacy Digidata 132x boards continue to use version 1.11
    
    

Version 2.00 is a major upgrade towards fully automated mult-slice and patch-clamp experiments
          1. Automated Perfusion Control
               a. Fully integrated into WinLTP - control is by perfusion channel rather than setting analog or digital output
b. Can control up to 4 perfusion controllers, or 3 perfusion controllers plus a stepper
c. Can control 2 perfusion controllers jointly to make up to 16 channels by using two analog outputs, 16 digital outputs or 4-bit binary output
d Slice perfusion can include pre-flushing the new perfusion line to remove most of the stale, unoxygenated solution sitting in the line
e. Manual control can override automated perfusion control when desired
2. Multi-slice experiments using automated change of perfusion solutions between sweeps
3. Cell single-line perfusion patch-clamp experiments using automated change of solutions during and between sweeps
          4.. Protocol linking to run one protocol after another - useful for extending single-line perfusion
          5. Cell dual- and triple-line perfusion with stepper patch-clamp experiments using automated change of solutions during and between sweeps
    
    

You will have to rewrite your protocol files when upgrading from WinLTP 1.11b.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (version 1.11b) from WinLTP (version 1.11)  (March, 2011)

    

Version 1.11b is primarily a bug fix
     1. For the WinLTP Online M,X-Series program, you can now recalibrate the National Instruments board at any time, not just during the initial program startup.
          2.  For the WinLTP Reanalysis program, you can now reanalyze CurrentClamp recordings using current injection set by the screen fields of the stimulation template.
3. There have been no changes to the WInLTP Online Digidata program.
    
    

There have been minor improvements for running multiple WInLTP Onine M,X-Series programs on one computer
          1. 

The different WinLTP acquisition programs can now be differentiated visually by the color of the 'SectionBars' (eg  the Bars for Protocol, Continuous Acquisition, Analysis Graphs sections, etc).

2. WinLTP's name on the TaskBar and in the program TitleBar is different for different programs running.  "WinLTP" appears for the first program (using 'Dev1'), "WinLTP 2" appears for the second program (using 'Dev2'), etc.
3.

When WinLTP is started, the screen location (if not full screen) is restored to that when last exited.  Therefore, on startup, the different WinLTP acquisition programs will be automatically placed in different screen locations.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (version 1.11) from WinLTP (version 1.10)  (December, 2010)

    

Important Bug Fix for X-Series boards
          X-Series boards now produce correct DigitalOut stimulation when running a SingleSweep Stimulation/Acquisition when the MainProtocol is not running.
    
    

Increased National Instruments Connector Box options
        We have reevaluated the connector boxes for the PCI/PCIe M- and X-Series boards  (Sections 2.3 and 2.7 in Manual).
     1. We now recommend the BNC-2110 over the BNC-2120 because it is simpler and cheaper.
          2.  Appropriate connector boxes are now also supported in Differential and Referenced Single-Ended (RSE) mode as well as the Non-Referenced Single-Ended (NRSE) mode that was used in WinLTP110 and earlier.
3. The BNC-2120 connector box will now be set up in Differential rather than NRSE mode.
    
    

USB 2.0 M-Series boards can now be used with Dual- and QuadCore computers
          1. 

We have made substantial improvements in WinLTP 1.11 for running USB 2.0 M-Series boards, so that WinLTP no longer blocks the use of National Instruments USB boards  (Section 2.3.1 in the Manual).

2. However, we have so far only done very limited testing of USB 2.0 M-Series boards, and have not yet tested USB X-Series boards.  Therefore USB boards are in beta test.
3.

In our limited testing we have found that although the USB 2.0 M-Series boards perform well on DualCore and QuadCore computers, they do not perform as well on Pentium 4 computers.

    
    

Added to the Experimental Log
          1. 

The first sweep after an AddedEvent will be inserted no matter what (Section 7.7 in Manual).

2. Clicking on a 'Detection', 'Stimulation' or 'All' button now prints Detection, Stimulation or All Protocol Values to the Experimental Log  (Section 7.10 in Manual).
3.

All Protocol Values are printed to the Experimental Log when WinLTP is exited.

    
    

You can now run multiple WinLTP programs and AD boards on one computer
          See Section 2.3.6 in the Manual.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (version 1.10) from WinLTP (version 1.01)  (July, 2010)

    

Added an Experimental Log that shows
          1. 

When WinLTP was started and exited

2. When the SealTest protocol was entered and returned, and it will print the PulseAmp, Rpipette, Rseal, Rs, Rm and Idc values from the SealTest
3. When
     a. the Spreadsheet was cleared
               b.  an AmpFile was saved
c. a Protocol file was either opened or saved
          4. 

When a Continuous Acquisition protocol was started and stopped

5. When the Main Protocol was started and stopped
6. When particular stimulation/acquisition ADsweeps occurred.  For example, if the titanic LTP induction stimulation was in a T0sweep, then the Experimental Log will record when that stimulation was delivered.
7. When there was a change in protocol flow, such as the starting and stopping of Loops, AvgLoops, Runs, Run of Run/Else, Else of Run/Else
8. When Evoked Single Events (i.e. single ADsweeps) are delivered, and Repeat Events (i.e. multiple ADsweeps) delivered
9. To be able to manually enter and record the time and solution change by keyboard input
    

and can
          Determine which ADsweeps, Loops, Runs and Run/Elses to show 

When WinLTP was started and exited

    
    

Convert WinLTP ASCII ADsweep Files to Axon Binary Files (*.abf)
         

Convert many WinLTP ADsweep files to:
     1. Many Single-sweep gap-free ABF files
               2.  Many Single-sweep episodic ABF files
3. One Multi-sweep episodic ABF file
         

Note: Stimulus information in WinLTP ADsweep files is not converted to ABF files.

    
    

Increased the number of Analysis Graphs from 4 to 12
          This was done by adding 8 Analysis Graphs to the new AnalysisPg
    
    

Changes in the Basic/Advanced Mode capabilities
         

The Advanced Mode is now required:

               1. To save the Expermental Log file
     2.  To convert WinLTP ADsweep files to Axon Binary files (*.abf)
3.

For Full Multitasking.  The Advanced Mode is required to save Continuous Acqusition files while running the Main Protocol with either the LTP Protocol or Protocol Scripting.  Before this was available in the Basic Mode.

         

What has not changed:

               1. In the Basic Mode, ADsweep files are still saved while running the LTP Protocol.
     2.  The Advanced Mode is still required to save ADsweep files while running Protocol Scripting
    
    

Improved PopSpike detection in epileptiform bursts
          To do this a PopSpike Detection Method dialog box was added to chose the method of detecting the maximum PopSpike between the default (and previous) Area method (which is better for PopSpikes in EPSPs), and new the Amplitude method (which is better for PopSpikes in epileptiform bursts).
    
    

Patch-clamp gain can now be set as mV/pA
          This is to improve clarity of setting patch-clamp gain in mV/Unit (as in 10 mV/pA) because many patch-clamps set gain in mV/pA.  This gain is included with the normal strait gain (as in 10000000000) and gain in Units/V (as in 100 pA/V).
    
    

Bug fixed
         

During reanalysis of ADsweep files, the WinLTP reanalysis program became unresponsive to keyboard input if the time between the start of ADsweep reanalysis was set to 0.0 sec.  This is now fixed.
    
    

You will NOT have to rewrite your WinLTP 1.0 protocol files.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (version 1.01) from WinLTP (version 1.00)  (July, 2009)

    

This is a mandatory upgrade due to an error in the Copy Protection scheme.  WinLTP 1.00 will not correctly run after its 90 day Demotrial period has run out.

You will NOT have to rewrite your protocol files.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (version 1.00) from WinLTP (beta version 0.99)  (May, 2009)

    

Running WinLTP  in the Advanced Mode will now require a purchased license
          1. 

When WinLTP is initially run, there is a Demotrial Period of 90 days in which both the Advanced and Basic Modes can be freely used.

2. After the Demotrial Period runs out, WinLTP can be freely used in the Basic Mode.  However, although protocols can be run in the Advanced Mode, the ADsweep data files cannot be saved.
3. A License Key for running in the Advanced Mode can be purchased from WinLTP Ltd., so that WinLTP can be run in the Advanced Mode and ADsweep files can be saved.
    
    

Copy protection has been added
         

You may not attempt in any way to overcome the copy protection mechanisms for the Advanced Mode of WinLTP Acquisition.  You are not allowed to:

1. Reverse engineer, debug or decompile WinLTP or the License Key.
               2.  Clock back the computer date or reinstall the program in an attempt to overcome the copy protection.
3. Distribute your License Key outside your lab group.
    
    

Running WinLTP  in the Basic Mode remains free with no time constraints
There is no Demotrial Period or any other timing out code for running in the Basic Mode
          Currently, there are no plans for to charge in future versions of WinLTP for running in the Basic Mode.  However future changes to this policy cannot be eliminated.
    
    

The WinLTP  Reanalysis  program continues to be free
    
    

Important bug fixed
          WinLTP can now run on ASUS and Intel Extreme motherboards.  Versions 0.96 and earlier could not.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.96) from WinLTP (beta version 0.95b)  (Sept, 2008)

    

WinLTP096 is primarily a patch clamp upgrade
          Record and stimulate from two patch-clamp electrodes simultaneously
               1.  Add second AnalogOutput channel (IC1) for AnalogInput channel AD1
2. Enable Rs/Rm analysis on AD1

Better intracellular analog stimulation, now includes analog trains and ramps (loop within loop stimulation)

          Patch sealtest protocol implemented
          Improved Rs calculation
               1.  Rs single or double exponential curve fitting
2. Enable shift extrapolation back to time zero to before time zero
3. Indicate if RsPeak is clipped at +/-10.0 input voltage
    
    

Other enhancements
WinLTP works Windows Vista (with M-Series, but not Digidata 132x boards)
WinLTP Reanalysis works on Macs with Intel processors
          Improved detection
               1.  Implemented Maximum Slope measurement within a larger BegTime/EndTime range
2. RiseTime and DecayTime Low% to High% of peak fields enabled
3. Latency % of peak field enabled
Save your Spreadsheet/ AmpFile data to an Excel XLS file
          Reanalyze straight ASCII files (skip header)
Save relative sizes of panels to type protocol *.pro disk file
Save ADsweep files with/without Time Column
In AboutBox add total physical memory, available physical memory, percent of memory in use
When running M-Sseries board, check that processor is HyperThreading or multi-Core
When running Digidata board, warn if processor is < 2.8 GHz
Start in Protocol Scripting mode instead of LTP Protocol mode
    
    

Important bug fixed
          Bug fixed in Rs/Rm Measurement due to faulty use of RsRm pulse amplitude
               1.  When a protocol file is loaded, the RsRm pulse amplitude is the one used CORRECTLY for Rs and Rm calculations.
2. Therefore, if you don’t change your RsRm pulse amplitude during experiments, only the first experiment after a new protocol file has been written may have  incorrect Rs and Rm values. The rest of the experiments will be fine.
3.  However, if this RsRm pulse amplitude is changed during the experiment, the original RsRm amplitude is INCORRECTLY still used for all Rs and Rm calculations in this experiment. This will result in Rs and Rm being both incorrect and even negative for this one experiment.
     
    

Other bugs fixed
Zooming in ADsweep and Analysis graphs now works well
Y CalibrationBar in EnhancedMetafile is now of reasonable length (one NumberLabeled GridLine).
          FilesToReanalyze - Filename template now sticks from one analysis to another
DecayTimes were in minus msecs, now they are in plus msecs
Rapidly resizing the Protocol/Detection panel and the Mainpg panel no longer causes the program to hangup

The video related bug with Windows XP no longer occurs (before WinLTP could hang up during start-up if the XP font size was Large or Extra Large rather than Normal).

     
    

Unfixable Bug Found
         

ASUS motherboards do not work with National Instruments M-Series boards - this 'unfixable' bug has been fixed in WinLTP 1.00!

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.95b) from WinLTP (beta version 0.95)  (Sept, 2007)

   

This is basically a time limit extension version.
 
   

One enhancement
         

WinLTP095b will now work with National Instruments M-Series boards using the PCIexpress bus.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.95) from WinLTP (beta version 0.94)  (Feb, 2007)

   

LTP Protocol enhancements (no scripting is involved)

         

Bug Fixed:  When Single and Repeat PulseSweeps are evoked during an AvgLoop, they will not be run during the AvgLoop, but only after it is finished.

For LTD stimulation with averaging (or any AvgLoop within a Loop), now print the current number of sweeps evoked and total number of sweeps to be evoked in the RunLine.

After an evoked FastRepeat LTD or ThetaBurst stimulation, an extra Delay period can be added to separate this stimulation from the subsequent normal repeating sweep stimulation.

    
   

Protocol Scripting enhancements

         

An evoked single or repeat sweep stimulation can occur at beginning of a Delay statement.  This allows one to precisely place when an evoked sweep will occur during a delay  period.

Run Once[x] checkbox so that you do not need to uncheck a [ ]Run statement when you want to run the the code within the Run construct only once

Run / ElseRun construct to quickly change between one or the other of two stimulations in Run statements

 
   

Additional Enhancements
          Implement Enable Single & FastRepeat CheckBoxes so that only the buttons for the evoked Single or Repeat stimulations you want will be enabled
     
   

The WinLTP Manual has been essentially completed
          The Reanalysis chapter has been completed
     
    

Bugs fixed
         

Evoking Single or Repeat Pulse Sweeps (P0sweep or P1sweep) can no longer occur in an AvgLoop

              

1. 

 In the previous versions of WinLTP from WinLTP090 to WinLTP094, this was because in an Averaging Loop the P0sweeps and the P1sweeps are being averaged by adding to an array in each pulse sweep that sums all the sweeps and then is divided by the number of loops.  If Single or Repeat P0 or P1 sweeps are evoked, this adds to the sum array but does not change the number of loops – hence the average will be wrong!
2. However, evoking Single or Repeat T0 or T1 sweeps in an Averaging Loop is fine because these do not have a sum array and averaging is never done on them.  And if you are doing scripting, only one P0sweep and only one P1sweep is allowed in an Averaging Loop – e.g. this possible bug has been prohibited in scripting..
3.

This bug was fixed by changing WinLTP so that when Single and Repeat PulseSweeps are evoked during an AvgLoop, they will not be run during the AvgLoop, but only after it is finished
          Blocked inserting an AvgLoop within an AvgLoop (since it doesn't make sense to do so)

Fixed an 'Access Violation in module Tee6c6.bpl’ error in the Reanalysis program that occurred when averaging trains with analyzing all pulses in the train

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.94) from WinLTP (beta version 0.93)  (Primarily a debug version)  (October, 2006)

   

This version is primarily a bug fix version due to the change in calculating Rm.
  
   

Important bug fixed
         

Corrected Rm cell input resistance measurement bug

              

In the previous versions of WinLTP (WinLTP090 to WinLTP093), the cell input resistance Rm was incorrectly calculated as

          Rm = VPulse / ISteadyState 

 and is now correctly calculated in WinLTP094 and later as

          Rm = VPulse / ISteadyState - Rs

Because Rs is usually much less than Rm,  Rm ~ Vpulse / Isteadstate  still is roughly true, but since Rs values are typically 5% to 10% of Rm values, previous Rm values (from WinLTP090 to WinLTP093) are roughly 5% to 10% too high.  Since Rm = Vpulse / Isteadystate - Rs  is the theoretically correct function, it is now used in the Rm calculation when Rs is being measured.

  
   

Fixed M-Seres board bug where input signals "wrap around" when <-10V or >+10V
          Input signals are now correctly pinned at -10V or +10V.
  
         

This will usually enable the Rs and Peak Amplitude to be correctly measured without doing a reanalysis.

  
   

Changed the Rm measurement from  50%->90%  to  70%->90% of the RsRm test pulse duration
         

I found that sometimes the voltage had not settled to steady state by 50% of the pulse duration and therefore increased it to 70% in hopes of obtaining more accurate Rm measurements.

 
   

Added an 's' after the Sweep and Delay Period fields for clarity, to denote their measurements in seconds
         

For example, changed  [ ]P0sweep 20  and  [ ]Delay 10  to  [ ]P0sweep 20s  and  [ ]Delay 10s.

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.93) from WinLTP (beta version 0.92)  (August, 2006)

    WinLTP now supports the National Instruments M-Series boards for the PCI bus
          Supported M-Series boards include the PCI-6221, PCI-6229, PCI-6251 and PCI-6259
M-Series boards for the USB bus are currently not yet supported
    
    Decrease in response time delay to keyboard input for M-Series PCI boards
          The response time delay to keyboard input has decreased from 5.0 sec for Axon Digidata 132x boards to 0.5 sec for M-Series PCI boards

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.92) from WinLTP (beta version 0.91)  (a debug version)  (March, 2006)

     This is a last minute debug version before I begin installing the National Instruments M-Series boards.

     Fixed PowerOn code bug - there is no longer any 5v digital output
          Now when the Digidata 1320A/1322A is tuned on, all digital and and analog outputs go to 0 volts
If somehow the Power-On data changes, WinLTP will recognize this and require recalibration of the Digidata 1320A/1322A
    
     CalcGraph MinTime values now snap to 1 min increments
          Previously, CalcGraph MinTime values snapped to values 1/10the the plot duration.  If the MinTime was say set to 5 min, and the plot duration was 300 minutes, then clicking on the CalcGraph with the mouse could cause the MinTime to snap back to 0 min, which was usually not desired.  This no longer happens.
    
     When the Reanalysis dialog box is reopened, the previous last FilenameTemplate used is now shown
          This has been reworked and now hopefully works correctly
    
     We have apparently solved the problems with the Digidata 1320A
          The problem with getting certain (probably older) Digidata 1320As to install, calibrate and work properly  is at least partly due to using old AxoScope dll files.  If you are having problems, upgrade your AxoScope to the lastest version (and copy over the dll files to the \ WinLTP folder) by freely downloading AxoScope from Molecular Devices at:
              

www.moleculardevices.com

 

 

Changes to WinLTP (beta version 0.91) from WinLTP (beta version 0.90)  (Primarily a debug version)  (February, 2006)

     Improved Reanalysis program
         

Now ADsweep and Calc graphs properly clear when reanalyzing at high speed with no delay between files loaded (e.g. if the Reanalysis Period = 0 sec)
    
     When the Reanalysis dialog box is reopened, the previous last FilenameTemplate used is now shown
When the Reanalysis dialog box is reopened, the previous last FilenameTemplate (e.g. *.P1) and FilesOfType (Pulse Files (*.P?)) are now shown.
         

In other words, you don’t have to retype! the FilenameTemplate or FilesOfType each time you reanalyze!

    
     The improved ability to run continuous sweeps (with no delay between them)
         

In WinLTP090 this was a Limitation as described below as:
               “Probably the most computer intensive task that WinLTP has to face is repeat sweep stimulation with no delay in-between.  For now, a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 processor and a fast video graphics card has difficulty saving contiguous sweeps longer than 2 seconds.  (This is because, for now, sweeps are saved after, rather than during, acquisition.)  Contiguous sweeps of down to 0.1 sec duration, however, can be saved."
          This Limitation has now been largely removed
               Now a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 computer with a fast video graphics card can run and save contiguous sweeps of 100 seconds. 
         

To remove this Limitation these changes were made:

1.  ContAcq graphs now always correctly clear
2. ADsweeps and Analysis Graphs now always correctly plot
3. The time to next sweep is now correctly printed on the RunLine
               4.  Tabs, Dialogs, Fields and StimGraphs are now quickly updated
    
   

Save ADsweep Graph as a Windows Enhanced Metafile

         

This allows ADsweep graphs to be directly imported into plotting programs.  Just double click (using the left mouse button) on the dark gray area containing the axis values surrounding the ADsweep data window to bring up the metafile dialog box (see Section 9.6 of the WinLTP Getting Started manual).
    
     CalcLines, Brackets, Crosses and Arrows are now plotted on ADsweep graphs
         

These now more clearly show where

1.  Duration is marked by Vertical Lines and Left/Right Arrows
2. PSamp is marked by Up/Down Arrows and Left/Right Brackets
3. PkAmp is marked by Up/Down Arrows
4. Coastline is marked by Left/Right Brackets
               5.  RiseTime & DecayTime are marked by Crosses
    
     Added ElectrodeConnections dialog box
          This is opened from the Help menu, and shows where the stimulus isolation units and amplifiers are connected to the data acquisition board.

 

 

Changes to the beta version of WinLTP (version 0.90) from  the DOS LTP Program (version 2.4) (August, 2005)

     Multitasking
         

LTP Program capability (repeat sweep stimulation, acquisition and analysis) maintained and advanced
          Tape recorder (Continuous Acquisition of 2 AD channels down to 25 usec sample intervals, saved to a gap-free Axon Binary File)
          Capture Spontaneous Events and save to disk (Online analysis not implemented yet)
   
     Use Protocol Builder to write complex protocols.  No programming required for LTP protocols.
   

Repetitive sweeps sampling interval now down to 25 usec
    

Fast Repeat (LTD) Sweep Stimulation with no time between sweeps
     Patch clamp stimulation now in mV
     Patch Electrode Series Resistance (Rs) and Cell Resistance (Rm) now measured in Mohms
    More accurate Patch Electrode Series Resistance (Rs) (using lower 50 or 25 usec sample intervals)
    

Runs in Windows 2000 and XP

 

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