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An Automated Behavioral Analysis of Drosophila MelanogasterBehavioral characteristics of D.melanogaster are strongly influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors, allowing scientists to assess how changes in physiology or environment manifest into behavior. Conversely, assessing changes in behavior of specimens provides valuable information about how the physiology of that organism responds to external changes. In this project, we developed a computer program to automate behavioral analyses of larvae and adult D. melanogaster aboard the International Space Station using on-board video recordings. Utilizing freely available libraries for Python, we set parameters to compute the number of animals, amount of locomotion as distance or movement, and the change in the perimeter of the larvae's outer shape to quantify behaviors such as curling or peristaltic full body wall contractions. Results show that our program is an efficient tool for analysis of larvae and adult locomotive behavior, thus providing scientists with a low-cost, efficient, and reliable method of quantifying behavioral data.

Document ID
20190033964
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Poster
Authors
Zavaleta, Jhony (San Francisco State Univ. San Francisco, CA, United States)
Iyer, Janani (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Mhatre, Siddhita (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Dolling-Boreham, Roberta (McMaster Univ. Hamilton, Ontario, Canada)
Bhattacharya, Sharmila (NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA, United States)
Date Acquired
December 16, 2019
Publication Date
November 20, 2019
Subject Category
Life Sciences (General)
Report/Patent Number
ARC-E-DAA-TN69423
Meeting Information
Meeting: Annual Meeting of the American Society for Gravitational and Space Research
Location: Denver, CO
Country: United States
Start Date: November 20, 2019
End Date: November 23, 2019
Sponsors: American Society for Gravitational and Space Research (ASGSR)
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC18M0060
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Public Use Permitted.

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