********************************************************************* ** ** ** THALAMUS-EXPERT ** ** ** ********************************************************************* 2nd March, 1994 *********** 0. CONTENTS 1 Introduction 2 Hardware and software 3 Installation 4 How to use THALAMUS-EXPERT *********** 1. INTRODUCTION THALAMUS-EXPERT is an intelligent database, which informs the user about a wide knowledge of the thalamus. The nomenclatures of Hassler, Jones and Olszewski are represented in this database. The anatomical knowledge is represented in a part-whole relation. The database contains about 150 different subnuclei of the thalamus. Information can be found about denominations of thalamic nuclei, connections, functions, qualities, order, representation in various nuclei and references in literature. The THALAMUS-EXPERT was programmed by Hubertus Axer as a project performed at RWTH Aachen - University of Technology Department of Anatomy I Universitätsprofessor Dr. med. D. Graf v. Keyserlingk Hubertus Axer, Dr. med. Klaus Niemann Pauwelsstraße 30, 52057 Aachen, Germany Phone : 0049/241/8089100 FAX : 0049/241/8888431 Email : klaus@pessoa.medizin.rwth-aachen.de *********** 2. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE THALAMUS-EXPERT will run on any PC compatible system with at least 640 kilobytes of memory. THALAMUS-EXPERT can drive most graphics cards. If you have a CGA, EGA, VGA, IBM 8514, ATT 400 or Hercules card in your system, THALAMUS-EXPERT will be able to detect it and set itself up accordingly. The use of a mouse will be supported, but a mouse is not necessary for the correct run of the program. Installation is discussed in detail later in this document. The program will run under at least DOS 3.3. You should have received the following files in the THALAMUS package: README - Yes, you are reading it now. INSTALL BAT - This program will copy your THALAMUS-EXPERT orderly. TH1 PCX ¨ TH2 PCX ³ TH3 PCX ÃŽ monochrome picture files TH4 PCX ³ TH5 PCX ³ WALDEYER PCX Ù THALAMUS STW ¨ THALAMUS INI ÃŽ english thalamus database files THALAMUS DAT ‘ GER_THA INI ÃŽ german thalamus database files GER_THA STW Ù THALAMUS EXE - The THALAMUS-EXPERT program itself (english version). GER_THA EXE - The german version of the THALAMUS-EXPERT. *********** 3. INSTALLATION The batch file INSTALL.BAT will copy all THALAMUS-files to your hard disk. The installation is quite easy. You have to put your THALAMUS-disk in a floppy disk drive and type INSTALL path -E or INSTALL path -G where path is the pathname for the directory at your hard drive. If you want to install the german version, you have to use the parameter -G. If you want to install the english version, you have to use -E. If you want to copy the english THALAMUS-EXPERT to the directory C:\THALAMUS, you have to type INSTALL C:\THALAMUS -E All files will be copied to your directory. *********** 4. HOW TO USE THALAMUS-EXPERT You can start the THALAMUS-EXPERT by typing : C: CD THALAMUS THALAMUS At the bottom of the video screen you can see all keys you can use. This gives a short survey of all functions at the current level of the program. Further help may be achieved by typing the F1-key: A short help text will be shown at the screen. With the ESC-key or the right mousebutton all features can be finished. The most important features of the program are the first three points of the main menu. You can activate all commands by using the mouse, by using the arrow keys and Enter or by just typing the number of the command. The aim of the commands 1-3 is to find information to special nuclei. The program searches for these nuclei. The user has the possibility to define, which pieces of information the program may search for. It is possible to search for all information represented in the database, but the user can also look for special topics e.g. for connections of nuclei. Before the program starts the search for nuclei the user must define these topics. The program shows a window ('TOPICS TO FIND'-window), where all possible topics are presented. The search starts after the user has selected the first point in the window: 'start the search for answers'. If different nuclei are found by the program, they will be shown in another window and they may be selected by the user. The found information attached to these nuclei will be shown. (1) hierarchy : The hierarchy command shows the hierarchical order of the nuclei and subnuclei of the thalamus in a tree structure. At first you must choose between the use of all nomenclatures or the use of a single nomenclature. On the screen you can see now a hierarchy window and a name window. In the middle column of the hierarchy window the nucleus of interest is presented. In the left column of the screen the upper structured nuclei are shown, and in the right column the lower structured subnuclei are represented. At the bottom of screen is the name window, which shows all denominations of the nucleus which is marked by the cursor position. The user can select a nucleus in the left column or in the right column. The selected nucleus will be the new nucleus of interest and will appear in the middle position. If the nucleus of interest, which is shown in the middle column, is selected, the user may achieve various pieces of information which are attached to the nucleus of interest. The TOPICS TO FIND-window will be created. (2) index : All headwords are presented to the user, which are included in the database. The user can choose a headword and the program will search for all nuclei, which are connected with this headword. A headword can be selected by using the cursor-keys and Return or by moving the mouse and using the left mousebutton. You can use the keys A..Z and 0..9 to find your headwords faster. The program will search for all nuclei, which are connected with the selected headword. The TOPICS TO FIND window will be created and the topics of your interest can be chosen. (3) drawings of the thalamus : Six different drawings of the thalamus are shown. The user can select the different nuclei in the pictures and the name of the selected nucleus is shown in the name window. If the nucleus is selected twice, the program will show this nucleus in the hierarchy feature. (4) query editor : This feature can be used to search for special combinations of different head- words in the thalamus database. Two windows are shown on the screen : HEADWORDS and TOPICS TO FIND. You can switch between the windows by using the TAB-key. The search for answers can be started by using the END-key or the middle mousebutton. 1. The HEADWORDS-window : In this window you fill in the headwords to search for. Example : "V.c.p." as a denomination of a nucleus. A headword can be specified by further headwords. Headwords belonging together must be separated by a ":". Example : "V.c.p.:Hassler" is the denomination of a nucleus and the author, who describes this nucleus. Headwords separated by a colon are connected. Headwords, which are independent from each other must be put in in another line. Example : "Area 4 " "Substantia nigra" means : Search for all nuclei, which are connected with the Area 4 and with the Substantia nigra. 2. The TOPICS TO FIND-window : In this window you can put in the topics, which you want to be informed about. If the window is empty, the program may search for all topics represented in the database : You can fill in : a) the numbers of the topics found in the table of contents. b) the names of the different topics as "abbreviation" ,"fibre tract" etc. If you enter a "?" as the first letter in the line, you will be shown the index of all possible headwords contained in the knowledge base. You can select the chosen headword and it will be written into the actual line. (5) SHORT/LONG answers : The found answers can be shown to the user in a long form, which shows all headwords exactly, and a short form, which is more clearly arranged. (6) show answer : The last generated answer is shown to the user. (P) print/save answer : The last generated answer 1st: can be saved in a text file. The name and the path of the file must be filled in. or 2nd: can be printed. Then "PRN" must be entered. (D) database : A new submenu is generated, which gives a survey over then contents of the database. (Q) Quit : Quit the program.