Welcome to my mobile SciApps page!

Problem:

Behavioral neuroscience research depends heavily on accurately quantifying the frequency and duration of specific behaviors. Often, these are single behaviors selected based on their importance in contributing to the understanding of underlying mechanisms, relationships, or phenomena being investigated. Therefore, this behavior needs to be meticulously segmented into individual occurrences. This task often requires the input of multiple observers to ensure unbiased results. Moreover, experiments often involve testing numerous subjects over extended periods, making it essential to have a straightforward and reliable method for robust behavior quantification. To maximize efficiency, it’s ideal that the resulting data is readily available in a format suitable for detailed analysis.

Solution:

A Python-based mobile application using the Kivy framework was developed to streamline behavioral data collection for scientific research. The application allows users to input experiment details into specified fields that, once the session data is saved, gets transferred into an Excel document dedicated to storing behavior data in a format that streamlines subsequent data analysis. The experimental observer depresses a main button on the app's interface to record behavior instances and their durations when subjects engage in the specified behavior. Key features of the application include:

• Real-Time Data Display: The app continuously updates and displays essential metrics:
• Total Behavior Time: Displays the cumulative duration the main button has been pressed, indicating the total time the behavior was exhibited.
• Total Number of Behavior Bouts: Counts and displays the total occurrences of behavior bouts recorded.
• Duration of Last Bout: Shows the duration of the most recent behavior bout, providing immediate feedback on recent behavioral activity.
• Data Logging: with a few taps all recorded data, including total behavior time, number of bouts, and bout durations are saved to the predefined Excel file for each subject as experimental trials progress.
• Excel File Formatting: The Excel file is structured in a format optimized for statistical analysis, ensuring compatibility with common data analysis tools.

This mobile application enhances efficiency and accuracy in behavioral data collection by providing real-time monitoring and seamless integration with data storage and analysis processes. It simplifies the task of recording and managing key behavioral metrics, supporting rigorous scientific research methodologies.

Problem:

In laboratory environments, creating and adjusting chemical solutions is a frequent and essential task. This process presents significant challenges for new lab members who must learn various preparation methods, including calculations for molarity, dilutions, and percentages. Even experienced scientists often require a quick and reliable way to verify their reagent calculations to avoid errors. Our laboratory’s previous method for performing these calculations by hand could be complex and prone to mistakes, making it crucial to develop a more accessible and accurate tool for reagent preparation and verification.

Solution:

To address the complexities of reagent preparation in laboratories, a Python-based mobile application using the Kivy framework was developed. The app features three main functions, each accessible through individual tabs:

1. Molarity and Dilution Calculator: Applying the formula M1⋅V1=M2⋅V2 to solve for any unknown variable when three variables are provided. The app displays the calculation process and the result.
2. Diluents Ratio Calculator: Helps in preparing a final volume of solution by calculating the necessary volumes of two diluents based on the specified ratio and total volume.
3. Percent Solution Calculator: Calculates the weight of dry chemical needed to prepare a specific percentage solution for a given final volume, showing both the required weight and the calculation used

This application facilitates quick and accurate reagent preparation directly at the lab bench, minimizing errors and enhancing efficiency for both novice and experienced scientists.

Problem:

Accurate drug dosing is essential in experimental research involving animal subjects, especially in studies that rely on precise drug formulations. Our laboratory frequently trained students new to scientific research and animal models of neurobiology. A significant hurdle they faced was converting between units of measurement: animals were weighed in grams, whereas drugs were measured in grams, yet dosing calculations must be expressed in milligrams of drug per kilogram of animal body weight. These unit conversions posed a challenge, often leading to confusion and errors among novice scientists, which can compromise the accuracy and reliability of dosing in experimental protocols. To enhance accessibility and mitigate these challenges, there was a compelling need for a mobile application that could provide a solution to these challenges. Such an application would enable users to perform precise dosing calculations conveniently and promptly anywhere in the laboratory, ensuring consistent and reliable dosing practices.

Solution:

To address challenges associated with unit conversions and calculation errors in drug dosing, a Python-based Kivy application was designed. This application features two distinct calculation functionalities, each accessible through complementary, user-friendly tabs, aimed at simplifying drug formulation tasks:

1. Drug Weight Calculation: Users input the desired milligrams per kilogram dose and the total volume required for the solution. The application swiftly computes the precise amount of drug needed in both grams and milligrams, alongside displaying the maximum subject gram weight the formulation will support.
2. Volume Calculation: This tab allows users to input the combined weight of animals slated to receive the drug and the targeted mg/kg dose. The application instantly calculates the exact quantity of drug in grams and milligrams required for the dosage, as well as the corresponding required volume of solution in milliliters.

By automating these calculations, the application equips novice scientists with a reliable toolset to execute dosing procedures accurately and efficiently. Its mobile compatibility further ensures accessibility wherever and whenever needed, supporting seamless integration into daily laboratory workflows.

Problem:

A rodent stereotaxic device is a specialized tool used in scientific research to perform precise surgery on small animals such as rats and mice.

1. The device has a platform and a set of clamps to gently hold the animal's head in place. This ensures the animal stays still during the procedure.
2. It has three adjustable arms that can move in three directions: up and down (dorsal/ventral), left and right (lateral/medial), and forward and backward (anterior/posterior). Each arm has scales for fine measurements.
3. The adjustable arms hold surgical tools or instruments, allowing scientists to accurately position them in the animal's brain or other parts of the body. This precision helps researchers target very specific areas.

What It's Used For:

Scientists use the stereotaxic device to implant electrodes, inject substances, or perform other delicate procedures on small, precise locations in the animal. This can help in studying brain functions, testing new treatments, or understanding diseases.

Coordinate Calculations:

When doing stereotaxic brain surgery, the operator bases the position of their targets from a location on the skull known as bregma. Bregma is referenced in three-dimensional space by the three variables DV (dorsal/ventral), LM (lateral/medial), AP (anterior/posterior). For each of these variables there is a distance from their bregma location that is calculated to position an apparatus at a desired location in the brain. These calculations were most often performed in a lab notebook and using a basic calculator. This method introduces the possibility of human error, is slow, might be illegible to other lab members and can be variable in how values are formatted between individuals increasing confusion if referenced by other lab members.

Solution:

A Python Kivy mobile app was created to assist in correct coordinate calculations when performing stereotaxic brain surgery on rodents. The application has three tabs, the tab chosen being based on the number of stereotaxic targets the operator is aiming for. The Unilateral tab is for a single target, the Bilateral tab is for two targets, each equidistant and on either side of the brain, the third tab is useful for two bilateral targets having four calculated targets total. The app takes the initial bregma variables as well as their respective distance variables and performs their calculations to display the color-coded target values to the user. The target values are then simply dialed into the stereotaxic frame. This eliminates hand calculation time as well as human error. The app has several additional fields to facilitate record keeping. These are ‘Subject’, ‘Experiment’, ‘Operator’, ‘Weight’, ‘Region’, ‘Date’, there is also a ‘Reset’ button for the quick start of the next subject or input errors. The app introduces the capability to export the calculation image to integrate data seamlessly into lab databases or experimental records. Since the input values are uniformly formatted, color coded and not individually written in different lab notebooks, the records can be accessed and understood by all lab members from anywhere the lab’s file system can be accessed.