Data analysis of the automatic round-the-clock monitoring system PhenoMaster based on the Mann-Whitney u test

PhenoMaster is a unique modular autonomic platform. It provides scientists from different research areas modern technology for fully automated and synchronized metabolic, behavioral and physiological monitoring: indirect gas calorimetry, food and fluid intake, locomotor activity, learning, memory, etc. Data recording can be performed for any given time interval, for example, every second and for any given period. The output is a huge amount of data, which is very difficult to analyze and interpret. This work is devoted to the solution of this problem. Data analysis was carried out on the basis of a comprehensive study the effect of oral injection of biologically active additives based on silver nanoparticles on the behavioral, cognitive and physiological functions of mammals. Physiological features of animals were recorded in the system of automatic monitoring PhenoMaster: body weight, the amount of feed and liquid consumed, motor activity. To analyze the obtained data, a unique method was developed. It takes into account measurement errors, time averaging and ensemble averaging, as well as features of living organisms to obtain relevant results. The obtained data were analyzed for changes in the amount of consumed water and food, changes in body weight, disorders of circadian rhythms, changes in motor activity and its preferences. The analysis was performed using the SPSS Statistics package based on the Mann-Whitney u test for independent samples.