The Diabetic Complications Consortium (DiaComp) offers introductory answers to frequently asked questions about web site, registration, and services of the Consortium. Click on a subject heading below to view questions and answers relating to your selection. Links throughout the answers will guide you to further information on our website or from other sources. Should you have any further questions, please contact us.

How To Videos
How to Browse and Download Data From Individual Experiments?
All data in DiaComp is entered in the context of an experiment. Each experiment can have a number of experimental factors (independent variables). This movie demonstrates how one would search, browse and download data from individual experiments. The video illustrates how one can not only query specific data from an experiment, but also how to use the hierarchical grid to group the data by any number of experimental fields. All the data from an experiment can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet.

How to Chart (Plot) any Data found in the system?
In addition to analytical tools, users can generate charts on-the-fly based on any filter criteria. Data from both Experiments and ad-hoc datasets (see below) can be plotted. All charts provide error bars when appropriate and a fully editable interface to change the appearance, including titles and axis labels. Additionally, we use tooltips to provide details of the data by moving the mouse pointer over the data point or column. This movie demonstrates the various charting options available to the public. The DiaComp currently supports three different chart types (Column, Line and XY plots).

How to Create and Download Datasets from Available Data?
All data in DiaComp is entered in the context of an experiment. However, users may want to query the DiaComp web portal in a more generalized fashion. To simultaneously search and download data from multiple experiments, users can explore the data using the Create DataSet page. A dataset is a generic class used to construct complicated data queries across all the data generated by consortium, thus providing a mechanism for higher order analysis (e.g. meta analysis). Investigators can build sophisticated queries using all the objects in the DiaComp object model. For example, one can build a query to extract all the assays performed on C57BL/6 mice with blood glu-cose measurements > 200 mg/dl for at least 4 weeks post diabetes onset and induced with STZ 20 mg/kg body weight and fed on a high fat diet starting at 4 weeks of age for 3 months. Ad-hoc data-sets can be downloaded as an Excel spreadsheet or used by the analysis and visualization tools at the web portal. This movie provides step-by-step illustration of how to use the dataset query page.

How to Perform Statistical Analysis on Data?
A number of analytical tools have been incorporated into the web portal to facilitate data analysis. Data from both Experiments and ad-hoc Datasets can be used in the analyses. The DiaComp currently supports Basic Statistics, ANOVA (one way and two way), Unpaired T-test, and Correlations. This movie demonstrates how to use the statistical exploration tools of the website.


General Questions
How do I figure out what experiments contain data for a specific mouse strain?

There are two ways to get a list of experiments that contain data for a specific strain. The first method method requires one to search for a specific strain, while the other requires you to create an adhoc dataset with the strain being the sole filter criteria.

1) For the first method, select Data Search=>Strain from the drop down menu at the top. Provide any filter criteria you want to narrow the search. For example, one could click the 'Starts With' radio button and type C57BL in the text box to get all strains that begin with C57BL. Check the 'Limit to Strains With Phenotype Data' box. Click on the 'Search' button, find the strain of interest and click on the name. The list of experiments with that strain are listed as part of the Strain Profile. Click on any of the experiments to go to that experiment.

2) Create a dataset with the strain you are interest in as the sole filter criteria. Select 'Data Analysis=>Create DataSets' from the drop down menu. Select the strain to include using the dropdown menus (Include-Strain-C57BL/6). Click the add button to add the criteria to the list. Click the 'Display Results' button. As part of the dataset, the experiments that have that strain will be listed in the grid. Click Here for a video on how to use the DataSets feature.
How do I figure out what experiments contain data for a specific phenotype assay?

There are two ways to get a list of experiments that contain data for a specific phenotype assay. The first method method requires one to search for a specific assay, while the other requires you to create an adhoc dataset with the assay being the sole filter criteria.

1) For the first method, select Data Search=>Assays from the drop down menu at the top. Find the assay and click on the name. The list of experiments with that assay are listed as part of the Assay Profile. Click on any of the experiments to go to that experiment.

2) Create a dataset with the phenotype assay you are interest in as the sole filter criteria. Select 'Data Analysis=>Create DataSets' from the drop down menu. Select the strain to include using the dropdown menus (Include-Assays-Blood Glucose). Click the add button to add the criteria to the list. Click the 'Display Results' button. As part of the dataset, the experiments that have that assay will be listed in the grid. Click Here for a video on how to use the DataSets feature.
What is the difference between a Model and Strain in the DiaComp web portal?

Although investigators use the words Model and Strain interchangeble, the DiaComp web portal defines them as separate terms because one strain could be associated with one or more models. Therefore, we must separate the concepts in order to store the appropriate data in the system. Models are defined as combination of species, animal strain, diabetes type and complication type. The models could also have specific diabetes and complication induction protocols. A strain, on the other hand, is the actual animal being assayed and is defined by the genetic makeup, construction method, partental strains, and status.
How do I download data for a specific experiment?

All of the data released to the public can be downloaded as an excel spreadsheet. In order to retrieved the data, one must select the Experiment and click 'Browse Data'. Select the filter criteria and click the 'Query' button. Once the data is returned an 'Export to Excel' button will appear. Click the button and select 'Save' to save the data to your hard drive. For more information Click Here
Is data for each animal assayed stored in the system?

Yes, all of the data uploaded by the consortium is animal level data. This provides the public with the raw data for each of the assays performed on the animals. The data can be downloaded by individual experiments or across the consortium using the DataSet option (see the video above).
When I click on some links or buttons nothing happens. What is wrong? (Popup Blockers)

Because of limited space, the DiaComp web portal uses windows popups to present results and data. If you have a popup blocker activated, this will prevent the portal from displaying the requested information. In order to use the site, you must either turn off popup blocking or add the DiaComp web portal to your list of popup allowable sites. Please note that some of the more commone browser toolbars (e.g. Google) have popup blockers built into them. So you may have the browser popup blocker as well as the toolbar popup blockers active. All will have to allow the DiaComp web portal.