Slightly technical coding question, #Matlab to #Python:
What's the simplest way to read a Matlab table in Python?
Or, if that's not possible, what should I convert my Matlab table to so I can read it in python? 🙏
It's quite a big table with "nested" data i.e. some of the columns contain different-lengths arrays for each row and some contain matrices.

Links I've tried without success:
https://stackoverflow.com/questions/25853840/load-matlab-tables-in-python-using-scipy-io-loadmat (csv doesn't save all the data)
https://pythonguides.com/python-scipy-load-mat-file/ (about reading .mat files but does not seem to work with tables)

Links I haven't tried:
https://www.mathworks.com/help/matlab/matlab_external/use-matlab-tables-and-timetables-in-python.html (I believe this relies on having a working version of Matlab to use Matlab.engine to read the file, which kinds of defeats the purpose)

#Programming #NeuroMethods

RE: https://fosstodon.org/@zulip/115612910439118165

Just realised that #Zulip (a #Slack equivalent) is on Mastodon!

Have you tried it, if so do you like it? I'm thinking that #NeuroMethods could maybe move there (at some point in future)...

#AcademicChatter

#NeuroMethods I am looking for a UK supplier of thin metal cannulas.
Specifically, I would like a relatively small one (27Ga, thin wall, this one: https://componentsupplycompany.com/hypodermic-tubing/304ss-thin-wall/htx-27t-30/

• but that is from a US company)

This one was recommended to me
https://www.coopersneedleworks.com/
but they cannot make 27 Ga :(

Any other suggestions? 🙏
#HyperDrive building

#NeuroMethods question for those doing rodent surgeries:
Has anyone tried out this Stoelting #Stereotax ? What did you think?

https://stoeltingco.com/Neuroscience/Digital-Rat-Stereotaxic-Instrument~9637

#NeuroSurgery

Hi all, the recurrent question of backing up (or not) #NeuroMethods slack is there again.
Lots of people are suggesting backing up the contents onto some #Google product, whether gmail or google docs. I know that gmail is not private (google analyses the contents of the mails) but is Google document private?
Otherwise is there an alternative to google docs that would actually be private? I imagine if it is private then it will not be free..

(Neuromethods is a discussion platform for when you have a problem or question about a #Neuroscience technique. It's on the free #Slack version so the history past 90 days is lost. See the previous time I have asked about this: https://neuromatch.social/@elduvelle/112766589207831557)

#NeuroMethods question:
What do you all (experimentalists or computational people) prefer as a format to store and share #Electrophysiology data? Either for Tetrodes or Probes? And why? 👀

Is NWB (Neuroscience Without Borders) the gold standard?

#Neuroscience #Tetrodes #Probes #DataManagement

#VTE detection: what's the best algorithm out there to detect Rat VTEs from 2D head position data (no HD data)?
By "best" I mean least effortful for the user...

I know that @adredish has the D-phil method (explained in Interactions between deliberation and delay-discounting in rats #RedishLab which is used quite a lot.

But also just found out about a different method from @jessetm explained in A Machine Learning Approach for Detecting Vicarious Trial and Error Behaviors #MizumoriLab - Jesse, I haven't checked the details yet but as its creator, would you recommend it? Would you have code for it somewhere? I couldn't see a repo link in the paper but maybe I missed it. 🙏

Edit: Jeff Stott added this one to the list, which uses a "Curvature" measure (also from #RedishLab): A functional difference in information processing between orbitofrontal cortex and ventral striatum during decision-making behaviour

Any other ones out there?
#Neuroscience #NeuroMethods #SpatialCognition

UK hardware question: where can you buy small metal cannulas, as well as polyimide and polymicro tubing? (Things used for #Hyperdrives)
I know the places for the US but have no idea for UK (where I am now)

Edit: by small I mean something in the range of 100-300 microns diameter

#NeuroMethods