A measurement system for 256-channel in vitro recordings of brain tissue electrophysiological activity is presented in the paper. The system consists of the brain tissue life support system, Microelectrode Array (MEA), conditioning Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASIC’s) for signals conditioning, Digitizer and PC application for measurement data presentation and storage. The life support system keeps brain tissue samples in appropriately saturated artificial cerebrospinal fluid at a very stable temperature. The MEA consists of two hundred and fifty-six 40 μm diameter tip-shaped electrodes. The ASIC’s performs amplification and filtering of the 256-field and action potential signals. The Digitizer performs simultaneous data acquisition from 256 channels 14 kS/s sample rate and 12-bit resolution. The resulting byte stream is transmitted to the PC via USB (Universal Serial Bus). Preliminary tests confirm that the system is capable of keeping the extracted brain tissue active (hippocampal formation slices) and simultaneously to record action potentials, as well as local theta field potentials with very small amplitudes from multiple neurons

This paper presents the results of laboratory testing and Finite Element Method (FEM) modelling of high-strength double-twisted steel hexagonal wire mesh used for constructing gabion cages, slope protection systems, rockfall protection barriers. Gabion cages, filled with soil (usually rock particles) are commonly used in civil engineering (for example, in order to form a retaining wall). Static tensile tests of single wire and double-twisted wire were performed. The stiffness and ultimate tensile strength were examined. Special attention was paid to the double-twist behaviour. The unloading tests were also performed and the range of elastic deformation of both single wire and double-twisted wire were determined. The obtained laboratory results (stress–strain relationships for single wire and double-twisted wire) were included in a numerical model of the repeatable cell of mesh (truss model). The simulation in both directions, parallel and perpendicular to the double twist, was performed. On the basis of the obtained load-strain relationship, an anisotropic membrane model for mesh was proposed and calibrated. The obtained value of tensile strength of the mesh (266 kN/m) is much higher than for other meshes known form literature (30–60 kN/m).