Eutectics

Overview

This is the file format used by the Eutectics Electronics Neuron Tracing System (Eutectics NTS).

Format specification:     

Encoding:  ASCII text
Limitations: Binary trees only. No markers. Spine bases only.

The first three lines take the following format:

No. points   <integer total number of data points>
No. trees    <integer total number of trees>
Text         <text description of data>

After an empty line, the next line consists of column headers (note first character is a space)

 Point  Type  Tag      X       Y       Z  Thick   Name    Attachment

Suibsequent non-empty lines each represent a single neuron sample point with nine data items (the last two not necessarily used)


 1
 2
 3
 4
 5
 6
 7
 8
 9
data type
 Sample number
 Point Type
 Object number
 x position
 y position
 z position
 diameter
 Name
 Attachment
data value
 contiguous, starting from '1'



 
MTO - Middle Tree Origin
TTO - Top Tree Origin
BTO - Bottom Tree Origin

CP  - Continuation Point
FS  - Fiber Swelling
SB  - Spine Base
BP  - Branch Point

NE  - Natural End
ES  - End Swelling
MAE - Middle Artificial End
TAE - Top Artificial End
BAE - Bottom Artificial End

SOS - Soma Outline Start
SCP - Soma Continuation Point
SOE - Soma Outline End

OS  - Outline Start
OCP - Outline Continuation Point
OE  - Outline End

DS  - Dot Start
DCP - Dot Continuation Point
DE  - Dot End
 An integer


 'x', 'y', 'z' are spatial co-ordinates, given in micrometers.
'diameter' is dendrite thickness, also given in micrometers.

Always specified with one digit of precision after the decimal point  xxx.y   where y may be 0.

 Generally used
to indicate type
of structure - tree, soma, axon....others...
positioning
 Right justified to 6th character of line Right justified to 11th characer of line Right justified to 16th characer of line Right justified to 24th characer of line Right justified to 32nd characer of line Right justified to 40th characer of line Right justified to 46th characer of line Left justified to 49th characer of line


Note -  that sample connectivity is implicit in the data - the sample point directy following a terminal point (T) is connected to the first incomplete binary branch point encountered when ascending the tree hierarchy.

Note - there is no consistent naming convention for the traced components.

References

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Links

See also the specification given for this format in the NTSCable documentation -   http://cns.iaf.cnrs-gif.fr/files/ntscable_2.0.doc

Examples

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