PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “spatiotemporal coupling”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 217 records · Page 12Linked to original sources
PubMed1994

Nonlinear propagation of agonist-induced cytoplasmic calcium waves in single astrocytes.

In astrocytes in primary culture, activation of neurotransmitter receptors results in intracellular calcium signals that propagate as waves across the cell. Similar agonist-induced calcium waves have been observed in astrocytes in organotypic cultures in response to synaptic activation. By using primary cultured astrocytes grown on glass coverslips, in conjunction with fluorescence microscopy we have analyzed agonist-induced Ca2+ wave initiation and propagation in individual cells. Both norepinephrine and glutamate elicited Ca2+ signals which were initiated focally and discretely in one region of the cell, from where the signals spread as waves along the entire length of the cell. Analysis of the wave propagation and the waveform revealed that the propagation was nonlinear with one or more focal loci in the cytoplasm where the wave was regeneratively amplified. These individual loci appear as discrete focal areas 7-15 microns in diameter and having intrinsic oscillatory properties that differ from each other. The wave initiation locus and the different amplification loci remained invariant in space during the course of the experiment and supported an identical spatiotemporal pattern of signalling in any given cell in response to multiple agonist applications and when stimulated with different agonists which are coupled via InsP3. Cytoplasmic Ca2+ concentration at rest was consistently higher (17 +/- 4 nM, mean +/- S.E.M.) in the wave initiation locus compared with the rest of the cytoplasm. The nonlinear propagation results from significant changes in signal rise times, amplitudes, and wave velocity in cellular regions of active loci. Analysis of serial slices across the cell revealed that the rise times and amplitudes of local signals were as much as three- to fourfold higher in the loci of amplification. A phenomenon of hierarchy in local amplitudes of the signal in the amplification loci was observed with the wave initiation locus having the smallest and the most distal locus having the largest amplitude. By this mechanism locally very high concentrations of Ca2+ are achieved in strategic locations in the cell in response to receptor activation. While the average wave velocity calculated over the length of the cell was 10-15 microns/s, in the active loci rates as high as 40 microns/s were measured. Wave velocity was fivefold lower in regions of the cell separating active loci. The differences in the intrinsic oscillatory periods give rise to local Ca2+ waves that show the properties of collision and annihilation. It is hypothesized that the wave front provokes regenerative Ca2+ release from specialized areas in the cell where the endoplasmic reticulum is endowed with higher density of InsP3 receptor channels.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Effect of thermal transport on spatiotemporal emergence of lamellar branching morphology during polymer spherulitic growth.

Spatiotemporal emergence of lamellar branching morphology of polymer spherulite has been investigated theoretically in the framework of a phase field model by coupling a crystal solidification potential pertaining to a nonconserved crystal order parameter with a temperature field generated by latent heat of crystallization. A local free-energy density having an asymmetric double well has been utilized to account for a first-order phase transition such as crystallization. To account for the polymorphous nature of polymer crystallization, the phase field order parameter of crystal at the solidification potential of the double-well local free-energy density is modified to be supercooling dependent. The heat conduction equation, incorporating liberation of latent heat along the nonuniform solid-liquid interface, has led to directional growth of various hierarchical structures including lamella, sheaflike structure, and spherulite. Two-dimensional calculations have been carried out based on experimentally accessible material parameters and experimental conditions for the growth of syndiotactic polypropylene spherulite. The simulations illustrate that, under self-generated thermal field, the initial nucleus is anisotropic having lamellar stacks that transforms to a sheaflike structure and eventually to a lamellar branching morphology with a dual-eye-pocket texture at the core. It appears that the released latent heat is responsible for the lamellar side branching and splaying from the main lamellae. On the same token, the heat build-up seemingly prevents the interface boundaries of neighboring spherulites from over running on each other during impingement, thereby forming the grain boundary.

Journal Article↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Mapping functional activity in rodent cortex using optical intrinsic signals.

We have investigated the dynamic response of rodent posteromedial barrel subfield (PMBSF) cortex to mechanical whisker deflection, using optical intrinsic signal imaging. While electrophysiologic response in barrel cortex has been well studied, dynamic metabolic changes affecting activity-related perfusion or oxidative enzymes are not well understood. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized. Contralateral single and multiple vibrissae were deflected while images of somatosensory cortex were acquired with a charge-coupled-device camera. Intrinsic signals were observed over PMBSF as stimulus-related reflectance decreases (10(-3) of baseline) comprising two distinct spatiotemporal components. At 610 nm the first, diffuse, component begins 0.5-1 sec after stimulus onset, peaks at 2.5-3 sec, and returns to baseline by 4-5 sec. The second component is macrovascular, beginning at 1-1.5 sec, peaking at 3 sec, and dissipating by 5-6 sec. Similar patterns were observed at 550 nm and 850 nm. Signal size and location varied with the stimulus. Evoked potentials were found to have maximal amplitude in the region of maximal optical signals, diminishing toward the optical periphery. We have demonstrated PMBSF response to vibrissal deflection using optical reflectance methods. These intrinsic signals overlie regions of maximal electrophysiologic response, but commence, peak, and extinguish over a time scale of seconds from stimulus onset. They most likely indicate activity-related microvascular recruitment and chromophore redox changes.

Animals↗
PubMed2004

Inducing coherence in networks of bistable maps by varying the interaction range.

Ordinarily, two different topologies have been used to model spatiotemporal chaos and to study complexity in networks of maps: one where sites interact only with nearest neighbors (e.g., the standard diffusive coupling) and one where sites interact with all sites in the network (global coupling). Here we investigate intermediate regimes considering the interaction range as a free tunable parameter. The synchronization behavior normally seen in globally coupled maps is found to set in for interaction ranges considerably smaller than the system size. In addition, we analytically derive stability conditions for the onset of coherent states (full synchronization) from which the minimum interaction range needed to induce coherence in homogeneously coupled maps can be determined. Such conditions are also obtained for inhomogeneous situations when the coupling strength decreases linearly with the distance. The characteristic range for the onset of coherence is studied in detail as a function of model parameters.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2004

Neural activity triggers neuronal oxidative metabolism followed by astrocytic glycolysis.

We have found that two-photon fluorescence imaging of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) provides the sensitivity and spatial three-dimensional resolution to resolve metabolic signatures in processes of astrocytes and neurons deep in highly scattering brain tissue slices. This functional imaging reveals spatiotemporal partitioning of glycolytic and oxidative metabolism between astrocytes and neurons during focal neural activity that establishes a unifying hypothesis for neurometabolic coupling in which early oxidative metabolism in neurons is eventually sustained by late activation of the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle. Our model integrates existing views of brain energy metabolism and is in accord with known macroscopic physiological changes in vivo.

Animals↗
PubMed2003

Local calcium gradients during excitation-contraction coupling and alternans in atrial myocytes.

Subcellular Ca(2+) signalling during normal excitation-contraction (E-C) coupling and during Ca(2+) alternans was studied in atrial myocytes using fast confocal microscopy and measurement of Ca(2+) currents (I(Ca)). Ca(2+) alternans, a beat-to-beat alternation in the amplitude of the [Ca(2+)](i) transient, causes electromechanical alternans, which has been implicated in the generation of cardiac fibrillation and sudden cardiac death. Cat atrial myocytes lack transverse tubules and contain sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of the junctional (j-SR) and non-junctional (nj-SR) types, both of which have ryanodine-receptor calcium release channels. During E-C coupling, Ca(2+) entering through voltage-gated membrane Ca(2+) channels (I(Ca)) triggers Ca(2+) release at discrete peripheral j-SR release sites. The discrete Ca(2+) spark-like increases of [Ca(2+)](i) then fuse into a peripheral 'ring' of elevated [Ca(2+)](i), followed by propagation (via calcium-induced Ca(2+) release, CICR) to the cell centre, resulting in contraction. Interrupting I(Ca) instantaneously terminates j-SR Ca(2+) release, whereas nj-SR Ca(2+) release continues. Increasing the stimulation frequency or inhibition of glycolysis elicits Ca(2+) alternans. The spatiotemporal [Ca(2+)](i) pattern during alternans shows marked subcellular heterogeneities including longitudinal and transverse gradients of [Ca(2+)](i) and neighbouring subcellular regions alternating out of phase. Moreover, focal inhibition of glycolysis causes spatially restricted Ca(2+) alternans, further emphasising the local character of this phenomenon. When two adjacent regions within a myocyte alternate out of phase, delayed propagating Ca(2+) waves develop at their border. In conclusion, the results demonstrate that (1) during normal E-C coupling the atrial [Ca(2+)](i) transient is the result of the spatiotemporal summation of Ca(2+) release from individual release sites of the peripheral j-SR and the central nj-SR, activated in a centripetal fashion by CICR via I(Ca) and Ca(2+) release from j-SR, respectively, (2) Ca(2+) alternans is caused by subcellular alterations of SR Ca(2+) release mediated, at least in part, by local inhibition of energy metabolism, and (3) the generation of arrhythmogenic Ca(2+) waves resulting from heterogeneities in subcellular Ca(2+) alternans may constitute a novel mechanism for the development of cardiac dysrhythmias.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Dynamic regulation of cAMP synthesis through anchored PKA-adenylyl cyclase V/VI complexes.

Spatiotemporal organization of cAMP signaling begins with the tight control of second messenger synthesis. In response to agonist stimulation of G protein-coupled receptors, membrane-associated adenylyl cyclases (ACs) generate cAMP that diffuses throughout the cell. The availability of cAMP activates various intracellular effectors, including protein kinase A (PKA). Specificity in PKA action is achieved by the localization of the enzyme near its substrates through association with A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs). Here, we provide evidence for interactions between AKAP79/150 and ACV and ACVI. PKA anchoring facilitates the preferential phosphorylation of AC to inhibit cAMP synthesis. Real-time cellular imaging experiments show that PKA anchoring with the cAMP synthesis machinery ensures rapid termination of cAMP signaling upon activation of the kinase. This protein configuration permits the formation of a negative feedback loop that temporally regulates cAMP production.

A Kinase Anchor Proteins↗
PubMed2003

Effects of caffeine on the excitability and intracellular Ca(2+) transients of neonatal rat hypoglossal motoneurons in vitro.

Since constitutively-high intracellular Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) may confer hypoglossal motoneurons special vulnerability to excitoxic damage, we investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of [Ca(2+)](i) and its relation to spike firing of rat hypoglossal motoneurons recorded under whole-cell patch clamp coupled with high resolution [Ca(2+)](i) imaging. A rise in [Ca(2+)](i), appearing in conjunction with single action potentials and becoming larger during spike trains, was first detected immediately beneath the cell membrane area, peaked 10-20 ms after each spike, and propagated to the cell core with slow decay time. Depletion of ryanodine-sensitive [Ca(2+)](i) stores by caffeine increased background [Ca(2+)](i), augmented the spike medium afterhyperpolarization, slowed down the action potential firing rate and depolarized cells (after an early hyperpolarization). The decay time constant of [Ca(2+)](i) transients was more than doubled by caffeine, although peak [Ca(2+)](i) remained unchanged. It is suggested that the main role of caffeine-sensitive stores was to buffer [Ca(2+)](i) elevated by sustained firing and to control spike accommodation.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed1993

[New methods of analysis of gait in the evaluation of the action of anti-inflammatory drugs. Apropos of naproxen].

Two nontraumatizing and reproducible tools for quantitative gait analysis as part of the objective evaluation of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs are reported. The Bessou gait analyzer is a simple mechanical device which measures spatiotemporal and kinematic parameters (stride length; duration of stride, weight-bearing, and forward swing; speed and peak speed of swing; and overall speed of walking). The ELITE system is a considerably more complex instrument for analyzing three-dimensional motions through high-speed shape recognition. Computerized data management allows not only to determine the spatiotemporal parameters listed above but also to study displacements of selected landmarks in several planes and to derive joint angles and angular speeds. Coupling of the ELITE system to a force platform and to telemetric transmission surface electromyography substantially expands the range of data provided. The mechanical gait analyzer was used to evaluate the effects of naproxen in 11 patients with osteoarthritis of the knee; another similar study in 13 patients with osteoarthritis of the hip is ongoing. Gait was recorded before and after daily administration of naproxen for seven days. After treatment, walking speed was significantly increased as a result of increased stride length and decreased stride duration. Durations of monopodal and bipodal weight-bearing decreased concomitantly with the increase in speed, whereas duration of forward swing remained unchanged. These data demonstrating improved kinematic gait parameters show that naproxen is effective in reducing the adverse mechanical effects of pain. This study also demonstrates the usefulness of gait analysis for evaluating drugs.

Aged↗
PubMed2001

Arachidonic acid modulates the spatiotemporal characteristics of agonist-evoked Ca2+ waves in mouse pancreatic acinar cells.

In pancreatic acinar cells analysis of the propagation speed of secretagogue-evoked Ca2+ waves can be used to examine coupling of hormone receptors to intracellular signal cascades that cause activation of protein kinase C or production of arachidonic acid (AA). In the present study we have investigated the role of cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) and AA in acetylcholine (ACh)- and bombesin-induced Ca2+ signaling. Inhibition of cPLA2 caused acceleration of ACh-induced Ca2+ waves, whereas bombesin-evoked Ca2+ waves were unaffected. When enzymatic metabolization of AA was prevented with the cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin or the lipoxygenase inhibitor nordihydroguaiaretic acid, ACh-induced Ca2+ waves were slowed down. Agonist-induced activation of cPLA2 involves mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. An increase in phosphorylation of p38(MAPK) and p42/44(MAPK) within 10 s after stimulation could be demonstrated for ACh but was absent for bombesin. Rapid phosphorylation of p38(MAPK) and p42/44(MAPK) could also be observed in the presence of cholecystokinin (CCK), which also causes activation of cPLA2. ACh-and CCK-induced Ca2+ waves were slowed down when p38(MAPK) was inhibited with SB 203580, whereas inhibition of p42/44(MAPK) with PD 98059 caused acceleration of ACh- and CCK-induced Ca2+ waves. The spreading of bombesin-evoked Ca2+ waves was affected neither by PD 98059 nor by SB 203580. Our data indicate that in mouse pancreatic acinar cells both ACh and CCK receptors couple to the cPLA2 pathway. cPLA2 activation occurs within 1-2 s after hormone application and is promoted by p42/44(MAPK) and inhibited by p38(MAPK). Furthermore, the data demonstrate that secondary (Ca2+-induced) Ca2+ release, which supports Ca2+ wave spreading, is inhibited by AA itself and not by a metabolite of AA.

Acetylcholine↗
PubMed2000

Proximally targeted GABAergic synapses and gap junctions synchronize cortical interneurons.

Networks of GABAergic interneurons are implicated in synchronizing cortical activity at gamma frequencies (30-70 Hz). Here we demonstrate that the combined electrical and GABAergic synaptic coupling of basket cells instantaneously entrained gamma-frequency postsynaptic firing in layers 2/3 of rat somatosensory cortex. This entrainment was mediated by rapid curtailment of gap junctional coupling potentials by GABAA receptor-mediated IPSPs. Electron microscopy revealed spatial proximity of gap junctions and GABAergic synapses on somata and dendrites. Electrical coupling alone entrained postsynaptic firing with a phase lag, whereas unitary GABAergic connections were ineffective in gamma-frequency phasing. These observations demonstrate precise spatiotemporal mechanisms underlying action potential timing in oscillating interneuronal networks.

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2000

In search of the elusive zonal flow using cross-bicoherence analysis

We show that the modulational instability growth rate of zonal flows is determined directly from the quasilinear wave kinetic equation. We also demonstrate the relation between zonal-flow growth and the cross bispectrum of the high-frequency drift-wave-driven Reynolds stress and the low-frequency plasma potential by explicit calculation. Experimental measurements of the spatiotemporal evolution of the spectrum integrated bicoherence at the L-->H transition near the edge shear layer indicate a modification in the nonlinear phase coupling, which might be linked to the generation of sheared ExB flows.

Journal Article↗
PubMed1995

Role of human prefrontal cortex in attention control.

Without a functioning dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, humans are stimulus bound and have little confidence in their ability to interact with the environment. Deficits in inhibitory control of external and internal processes coupled with impaired temporal coding of stimuli and detection capacity for novel events leave the patient functioning in a noisy internal environment without critical spatiotemporal cues. Some of these proposals are similar to those of Nauta (104). Based on connectivity of the prefrontal cortex, Nauta suggested that this region was ideally suited to generate and evaluate internal models of action. It is proposed that, in addition to this generation function, the prefrontal cortex is crucial for detecting changes in the external environment and for discriminating internally and externally derived models of the world. This chapter has described a cascade of deficits that result from damage to the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Awareness of the sensory world, and of the apparent stream of internal and external events, is impaired by deficits in novelty detection. Changes in the world, internal or external, may not be noticed in a noisy internal milieu. These deficits contribute to impaired reality monitoring and to a subsequent lack of confidence in behavior. An inability to bridge temporal gaps and temporally sequence internal events, together with deficits in inhibitory control systems, contribute to an impairment in the ability to generate coherent representations of alternate or counterfactual realities.

Animals↗
PubMed1998

Slow conduction in cardiac tissue, I: effects of a reduction of excitability versus a reduction of electrical coupling on microconduction.

It was the aim of this study to characterize the spread of activation at the cellular level in cardiac tissue during conduction slowing, a key element of reentrant arrhythmias; therefore, activation patterns were assessed at high spatiotemporal resolution in narrow (70 to 80 microm) and wide (230 to 270 microm) linear strands of cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes, using multiple site optical recording of transmembrane voltage. Slow conduction was induced by graded elevation of [K+]o, by applying tetrodotoxin, or by exposing the preparations to the gap junctional uncouplers palmitoleic acid or 1-octanol. The main findings of the study are 4-fold: (1) gap junctional uncoupling reduced conduction velocity (range, 37 to 47 cm/s under control conditions) to a substantially larger extent before block (</=1 cm/s; ultra-slow conduction) than did a reduction of excitability (range, approximately 10 to 15 cm/s); (2) activation wavefronts during uncoupling meandered within the boundaries of the preparations, resulting in a pronounced additional slowing of conduction in wide cell strands; (3) at the cellular level, propagation during uncoupling-induced ultra-slow conduction was sustained by sequentially activated tissue patches, each of which consisted of a few cells being activated simultaneously; and (4) depending on the uncoupler used, maximal action potential upstroke velocities during ultra-slow conduction were either slightly (palmitoleic acid) or highly (1-octanol) depressed. Thus, depolarizing inward currents, the spatial pattern and degree of gap junctional coupling, and geometrical factors all contribute in a concerted manner to conduction slowing, which, at its extreme (0.25 cm/s measured over 1 mm), can reach values low enough to permit, theoretically, reentrant excitation to occur in minuscule areas of cardiac tissue (<<1 mm2).

Action Potentials↗
PubMed2000

Internally driven spatiotemporal irregularity in a dc glow discharge

Spatiotemporal dynamics of an undriven dc glow discharge at intermediate pressures (p(0)r(0)=6.2 Torr cm, i<50 mA) is investigated experimentally. Spatiotemporal irregularity and windows of regular nonlinear waves occur and are found to depend on the discharge current. Above a threshold current column head oscillations arise and inject high-frequency ionization waves into the positive column that decay towards the anode through nonlinear wave coupling with a discrete eigenmode of the positive column. Regularity was found to be a result of commensuration of both waves and obeys a devil's staircase. Since column head oscillations occur in the transition region from cathode fall to positive column as result of discharge formation, the irregularities were internally driven. Spatiotemporal analysis by means of biorthogonal decomposition gives insights into the mechanism of irregularity and can be employed for characterization of spatiotemporal complexity.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Abnormal muscle activation characteristics associated with loss of dexterity after stroke.

The aim of this study was to characterise the abnormalities of muscle activation which underlie low dexterity after stroke. A broad definition of dexterity was adopted, where loss of dexterity refers to an inability to coordinate muscle activity in the performance of a motor task (i.e. dexterity was not confined to manual dexterity). EMG of biceps brachii and triceps brachii were monitored from 16 people after stroke and 10 neurologically normal controls as they performed a tracking task requiring coordinated elbow flexion and extension. Weakness could not interfere with performance since the task was designed to require minimal strength. Stroke subjects were assigned to a low (n=10) or high (n=6) dexterity group based on their performance. Spatiotemporal aspects of biceps and triceps EMG were analysed. Low dexterity performance after stroke was characterised by excessive biceps muscle activation (P=0.002) and decreased coupling of muscle activation to target motion (P=0.002). In this study, we could rule out weakness, slowness of muscle activation, excessive co-contraction and spasticity as causes of these abnormalities. Therefore, the loss of dexterity after stroke can be seen as a specific negative impairment which can exist independently of other motor impairments and reflects a loss of skill in generating spatial and temporal muscle activation patterns which conform with environmental demands.

Aged↗
PubMed1998

Subcellular metabolic transients and mitochondrial redox waves in heart cells.

Precise matching of energy supply with demand requires delicately balanced control of the enzymes involved in substrate metabolism. In response to a change in substrate supply, the nonlinear properties of metabolic control may induce complex dynamic behavior. Using confocal imaging of flavoprotein redox potential and mitochondrial membrane potential, we show that substrate deprivation leads to subcellular heterogeneity of mitochondrial energization in intact cells. The complex spatiotemporal patterns of redox and matrix potential included local metabolic transients, cell-wide coordinated redox transitions, and propagated metabolic waves both within and between coupled cells. Loss of metabolic synchrony during mild metabolic stress reveals that intra- and intercellular control of mitochondrial function involves diffusible cytoplasmic messengers.

Animals↗