Knowledge Base

Carry Out an Experiment

If you want to log temperature errors, configure EthoVision XT beforehand. See Configure the Temperature Alarms in EthoVision XT for details.

Procedure

1. Follow the procedure Normal Use with Set Water Temperature.
2. Wait until the temperature has reached the set value and no error codes appear on the LCD screen of the TCU.
3. Insert a well plate with the larvae into the basin. To prevent air getting trapped underneath the well plate, put the back of the well plate against the wall and place it on the basin floor, then tilt the front of the well plate down to the basin floor. As you do this, water flows into the overflow part of the basin.
4. Lower the Fresnel lens over the well plate and close the DanioVision Observation Chamber. You can now carry out a DanioVision experiment as usual.
5. If necessary, grab a background image and define the arenas. Next, if necessary, define the Detection Settings. For more information, see the Reference Manual - DanioVision DVOC-0041 and the EthoVision XT Help.
6. Choose Acquisition > Open Acquisition. Start the trial.
7. At the end of the experiment, follow the procedure Drain the System. Draining prevents contamination from building up inside the system. Before you drain the system, make sure the drain tube with blue connector ends in a sink or container.

Visualize the Temperature Alarms During the Trial

On the Temperature Control Unit

If an error occurs in the Temperature Control Unit, an error message appears on the display. See Feedback and Error Messages for an explanation.

On the EthoVision XT Screen

1. Choose Show/Hide > Show Dependent Variable.
2. From the Select Hardware list, choose Hardware State. Click OK.
3. Next to Device Type, choose DanioVision TCT (DVTCU-001x). Choose the signal you want to display. Click the Statistics tab and choose the statistics of that signal that you want to display. Choose Current to display whether a temperature alarm is occurring.
4. During acquisition, in the Analysis Results and Scoring pane click the Dependent Variables tab. There you can view the alarm state (under arena A1). Here, true means error state.

Refill the Basin During Long Experiments

The Basin Refill Tool

During long-lasting DanioVision experiments, evaporation of water out of the basin could be an issue. You can compensate for evaporation by refilling the basin without opening the DanioVision Observation Chamber (DVOC-0040).

The Basin Refill Tool (DVBR-0010) allows you to refill the basin without opening the DanioVision Chamber during an experiment. It is provided standard with the DanioVision Temperature Control Unit (DVTCU).

Important: It is possible to fill or refill the basin directly (see Chapters 3 and 4 in this manual). However, this is not practical when an experiment is running. Only use the Basin Refill Tool in combination with the DanioVision Temperature Control Unit (DVTCU).

To Set Up the Basin Refill Tool

You must install the Basin Refill Tool before starting the experiment.

1. Make sure your DanioVision basin is empty. To do so, follow the instructions in Drain the System.
2. Disconnect the tube marked in green between the DanioVision Chamber and the TCU (when applicable).
3. Connect the ends of the tubes of the Basin Refill Tool to the corresponding green-marked inlets at the back of the DanioVision Observation Chamber and the Temperature Control Unit.
4. Make sure the faucet is closed (Off position).
5. Fill the syringe with basin liquid, and connect it to the short faucet tube.
6. Fill the basin circuit. While the basin circuit is being filled, insert a few ml of liquid from the syringe in order to prevent air bubbles from getting into the circuit.
7. Start the experiment as usual.

To Use the Basin Refill

How much liquid to insert via the syringe depends on the level of evaporation and the duration of the experiment. Add liquid into the basin circuit whenever needed.

Important: During refill, do not switch off the Temperature Control Unit.

1. Open the faucet (On position).
2. Make sure you can see the overflow outlet of the DanioVision Chamber (red marked tube).
3. Gently push the syringe to insert liquid.
4. Carefully watch the overflow tube. Whenever the liquid comes, stop pushing the syringe.

• Overflow is a good indication for a 100% filled basin, however it may lag on filling.
• The DVTCU will, whenever it occurs, compensate for any temperature fluctuation due to the refill. However, make sure that the liquid temperature in the syringe is not too far from the desired basin temperature.

To Refill the Syringe

1. Make sure the faucet is closed (Off position).
2. Disconnect the syringe.
3. Fill the syringe with basin liquid.
4. Make sure no air is present in the syringe.
5. Connect the syringe back to the faucet tube.

Source: DanioVision TCU Reference Manual, Noldus Information Technology