title: Data management routines for reproducible research using the G-Node Python Client library.
abstract: Structured, efficient, and secure storage of experimental data and associated meta-information constitutes one of the most pressing technical challenges in modern neuroscience, and does so particularly in electrophysiology. The German INCF Node aims to provide open-source solutions for this domain that support the scientific data management and analysis workflow, and thus facilitate future data access and reproducible research. G-Node provides a data management system, accessible through an application interface, that is based on a combination of standardized data representation and flexible data annotation to account for the variety of experimental paradigms in electrophysiology. The G-Node Python Library exposes these services to the Python environment, enabling researchers to organize and access their experimental data using their familiar tools while gaining the advantages that a centralized storage entails. The library provides powerful query features, including data slicing and selection by metadata, as well as fine-grained permission control for collaboration and data sharing. Here we demonstrate key actions in working with experimental neuroscience data, such as building a metadata structure, organizing recorded data in datasets, annotating data, or selecting data regions of interest, that can be automated to large degree using the library. Compliant with existing de-facto standards, the G-Node Python Library is compatible with many Python tools in the field of neurophysiology and thus enables seamless integration of data organization into the scientific data workflow.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Andrey
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sobolev
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Adrian
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stoewer
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pereira
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kellner
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Garbers
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Philipp L
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Rautenberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology II, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München Planegg-Martinsried, Germany.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Wachtler
keywords: data management; electrophysiology; experimental workflow; neo; neuroinformatics; odml; python; web service