EpiCollect+: linking smartphones to web applications for complex data collection projects

Previously, we have described the development of the generic mobile phone data gathering tool, EpiCollect, and an associated web application, providing two-way communication between multiple data gatherers and a project database. This software only allows data collection on the phone using a single questionnaire form that is tailored to the needs of the user (including a single GPS point and photo per entry), whereas many applications require a more complex structure, allowing users to link a series of forms in a linear or branching hierarchy, along with the addition of any number of media types accessible from smartphones and/or tablet devices (e.g., GPS, photos, videos, sound clips and barcode scanning). A much enhanced version of EpiCollect has been developed (EpiCollect+). The individual data collection forms in EpiCollect+ provide more design complexity than the single form used in EpiCollect, and the software allows the generation of complex data collection projects through the ability to link many forms together in a linear (or branching) hierarchy. Furthermore, EpiCollect+ allows the collection of multiple media types as well as standard text fields, increased data validation and form logic. The entire process of setting up a complex mobile phone data collection project to the specification of a user (project and form definitions) can be undertaken at the EpiCollect+ website using a simple ‘drag and drop’ procedure, with visualisation of the data gathered using Google Maps and charts at the project website. EpiCollect+ is suitable for situations where multiple users transmit complex data by mobile phone (or other Android devices) to a single project web database and is already being used for a range of field projects, particularly public health projects in sub-Saharan Africa. However, many uses can be envisaged from education, ecology and epidemiology to citizen science.

The function of astrorhizae in stromatoporoids: quantitative tests

Using the diameters of the channels at branch points, we quantitatively test three alternative models of the function of astrorhizae in stromatoporoids. The distribution of diameters at branch points is significantly different from the distribution that would be predicted from models of either a diffusive function or a bulk-flow system in which resistance to flow was constant at all levels of the branching hierarchy. The distribution of channel diameters is virtually identical to that predicted by a model (Murray's law) that simultaneously minimizes resistance to flow and some volume-related cost function. Astrorhizae thus carried a bulk flow of fluid and can be inferred to have been lined with cellular elements; the exchange sites associated with the fluid-transport system were distributed throughout the soft tissues of the stromatoporoid animal. The most parsimonious hypothesis of function, that the fluid-transport system was associated with suspension feeding, implies strong similarities between the structure of the stromatoporoid animal and living sponges.

Rat gastric mucosal microcirculation in vivo

The superficial gastric mucosal microcirculation was observed microscopically by transillumination in the anesthetized rat. The vessels surrounding the gastric crypts were monitored on a television screen through a microscope and the pictures stored on a videotape for off-line analysis of red cell velocity (VRBC) and vessel diameter. From these measurements microvascular volume flows were calculated. VRBC reached steady values after 1-4 h (mean 2 h) and showed a regular pulsatile flow (4-7 cycles/min) in most experiments. Acid output was measured at regular intervals; 50% of the rats showed no spontaneous acid output, but the others secreted up to 100 mu eq/h. The microvessels in the superficial mucosa were classified into three orders according to their branching hierarchy and relative dimensions, and their distribution per unit mass was estimated. VRBC and volume flow were shown to decrease in the successive orders of the microvessels. Calculation of organ blood flow from microvascular flow data and vessel distribution gave values (21 ml.min-1.100 g tissue-1) that agree with earlier reported values. A higher flow velocity was detected in rats with spontaneous acid output than in those without, but there was a poor correlation between the magnitude of the acid output and VRBC. Pentagastrin (96 micrograms.kg-1.h-1) induced a significant increase in both blood flow and acid secretion. Results from this study indicate that this experimental model is potentially useful for studies of the correlation between acid secretion and mucosal blood flow.