I've said it before but the #NeuroMethods slack is really useful for all #Neuroscience methods questions. Feel free to join at https://neuromethods.slack.com/ with your institutional email, or DM me if you can't join that way!

Hi all, the recurrent question of backing up (or not) #NeuroMethods slack is there again.
Lots of people are suggesting backing up the contents onto some #Google product, whether gmail or google docs. I know that gmail is not private (google analyses the contents of the mails) but is Google document private?
Otherwise is there an alternative to google docs that would actually be private? I imagine if it is private then it will not be free..

(Neuromethods is a discussion platform for when you have a problem or question about a #Neuroscience technique. It's on the free #Slack version so the history past 90 days is lost. See the previous time I have asked about this: https://neuromatch.social/@elduvelle/112766589207831557)

UK hardware question: where can you buy small metal cannulas, as well as polyimide and polymicro tubing? (Things used for #Hyperdrives)
I know the places for the US but have no idea for UK (where I am now)

Edit: by small I mean something in the range of 100-300 microns diameter

#NeuroMethods #Ephys what is the fastest way to detect potential duplicate neurons after spike-sorting?
Say you’ve recorded from multiple neurons that might be detected by multiple tetrodes, you do #SpikeSorting per tetrode, and want to detect those duplicates afterwards?

I was thinking cross-correlation across all cell pairs. But my implementation is really slow. If anyone already has code for this (Matlab or Python) I’d be happy to steal it

The #NeuroMethods slack is an amazing resource for all #Neuroscience technical questions. However it’s using a free slack version so all older messages are hidden, and with new #Slack policies they’ll soon be deleted.

One solution would be to find one or several “sponsors” who would help move the slack to a paid version. Any ideas or suggestions about this?

(An older article on the Neuromethods slack: https://www.bna.org.uk/mediacentre/news/neuromethods-slack-group-a-new-platform-for-troubleshooting-methods-in-neuroscience/
The link to sign-in: https://neuromethods.slack.com/
Ask me here or in DM and I’ll invite you if you can’t sign in with your work email!)

What do #Electrophysiologists who record raw data from many channels (#NeuroPixels, #Hyperdrives…) do for data backup and storage? I just bought 2 x 4Tb external drives and it looks like they won’t be enough (at all). Is there a cheap and reliable AND huge storage way to do this?

What’s your best guide on extracellular recordings #waveform shapes to know if you’re recording from soma, axon, dendrite etc.? (Most interested about #Hippocampus of course)
#Ephys #Electrophysiology #NeuroMethods

#NeuroMethods question:

What is the smallest optimal distance between independent #Tetrodes in dorsal CA1 (so that you don’t record from the same neuron in adjacent tetrodes and also movement of one doesn’t influence the movement of others)?
Say, using 12.7 μm diameter wire?

I’ve started making tutorials for different #Tetrode #Electrophysiology steps here
The next ones are probably going to be Tetrode-making and drive-building.

Is there anything else that you’d like to see there?
#NeuroMethods

#NeuroMethods poll: which is your favourite manual #SpikeSorting (refinement) program?

Polls don’t have enough options so detailed answers would be great :

1: Klusters
2: Mclust
3: Offline Sorter
4: Phy
5: Spike Sort 3D
6: Tint (I didn't find a link describing the software)
7: Other
8: None (all automatised!)

(Note: I asked the same poll on the NeuroMethods SpikeSorting channel)