Spike Transients Research Articles

Deep Convolutional Neural Network and Reverse Biorthogonal Wavelet Scalograms for Automatic Identification of High Frequency Micro-Scale Spike Transients in the Post-Hypoxic-Ischemic EEG.

Diagnosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is currently limited and prognostic biological markers are required for early identification of at risk infants at birth. Using pre-clinical data from our fetal sheep models, we have shown that micro-scale EEG patterns, such as high-frequency spikes and sharp waves, evolve superimposed on a significantly suppressed background during the early hours of recovery (0-6 h), after an HI insult. In particular, we have demonstrated that the number of micro-scale gamma spike transients peaks within the first 2-2.5 hours of the insult and automatically quantified sharp waves in this period are predictive of neural outcome. This period of time is optimal for the initiation of neuroprotection treatments such as therapeutic hypothermia, which has a limited window of opportunity for implementation of 6 h or less after an HI insult. Clinically, it is hard to determine when an insult has started and thus the window of opportunity for treatment. Thus, reliable automatic algorithms that could accurately identify EEG patterns that denote the phase of injury is a valuable clinical tool. We have previously developed successful machine-learning strategies for the identification of HI micro-scale EEG patterns in a preterm fetal sheep model of HI. This paper employs, for the first time, reverse biorthogonal Wavelet-Scalograms (WS) as the inputs to a 17-layer deep-trained convolutional neural network (CNN) for the precise identification of high-frequency micro-scale spike transients that occur in the 80-120Hz gamma band during first 2 h period of an HI insult. The rbio-WS-CNN classifier robustly identified spike transients with an exceptionally high-performance of 99.82%.Clinical relevance-The suggested classifier would effectively identify and quantify EEG patterns of a similar morphology in preterm newborns during recovery from an HI-insult.

Wavelet Spectral Deep-training of Convolutional Neural Networks for Accurate Identification of High-Frequency Micro-Scale Spike Transients in the Post-Hypoxic-Ischemic EEG of Preterm Sheep.

Early diagnosis and prognosis of babies with signs of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is currently limited and requires reliable prognostic biomarkers to identify at risk infants. Using our pre-clinical fetal sheep models, we have demonstrated that micro-scale patterns evolve over a profoundly suppressed EEG background within the first 6 hours of recovery, post HI insult. In particular, we have shown that high-frequency micro-scale spike transients (in the gamma frequency band, 80-120Hz) emerge immediately after an HI event, with much higher numbers around 2-2.5 h of the insult, with numbers gradually declining thereafter. We have also shown that the automatically quantified sharp waves in this phase are predictive of neural outcome. Initiation of some neuroprotective treatments within this limited window of opportunity, such as therapeutic hypothermia, optimally reduces neural injury. In clinical practice, it is hard to determine the exact timing of the injury, therefore, reliable automatic identification of EEG transients could be beneficial to help specify the phases of injury. Our team has previously developed successful machine- and deep-learning strategies for the identification of post-HI EEG patterns in an HI preterm fetal sheep model.This paper introduces, for the first time, a novel online fusion approach to train an 11-layers deep convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier using Wavelet-Fourier (WF) spectral features of EEG segments for accurate identification of high-frequency micro-scale spike transients in 1024Hz EEG recordings in our preterm fetal sheep. Sets of robust features were extracted using reverse biorthogonal wavelet (rbio2.8 at scale 7) and considering an 80-120Hz spectral frequency range. The WF-CNN classifier was able to accurately identify spike transients with a reliable high-performance of 99.03±0.86%.Clinical relevance-Results confirm the expertise of the method for the identification of similar patterns in the EEG of neonates in the early hours after birth.

Latent Phase Identification of High-Frequency Micro-Scale Gamma Spike Transients in the Hypoxic Ischemic EEG of Preterm Fetal Sheep Using Spectral Analysis and Fuzzy Classifiers.

Premature babies are at high risk of serious neurodevelopmental disabilities, which in many cases are related to perinatal hypoxic–ischemic encephalopathy (HIE). Studies of neuroprotection in animal models consistently suggest that treatment must be started as early as possible in the first 6 h after hypoxia–ischemia (HI), the so-called latent phase before secondary deterioration, to improve outcomes. We have shown in preterm sheep that EEG biomarkers of injury, in the form of high-frequency micro-scale spike transients, develop and evolve in this critical latent phase after severe asphyxia. Real-time automatic identification of such events is important for the early and accurate detection of HI injury, so that the right treatment can be implemented at the right time. We have previously reported successful strategies for accurate identification of EEG patterns after HI. In this study, we report an alternative high-performance approach based on the fusion of spectral Fourier analysis and Type-I fuzzy classifiers (FFT-Type-I-FLC). We assessed its performance in over 2520 min of latent phase EEG recordings from seven asphyxiated in utero preterm fetal sheep exposed to a range of different occlusion periods. The FFT-Type-I-FLC classifier demonstrated 98.9 ± 1.0% accuracy for identification of high-frequency spike transients in the gamma frequency band (namely 80–120 Hz) post-HI. The spectral-based approach (FFT-Type-I-FLC classifier) has similar accuracy to our previous reverse biorthogonal wavelets rbio2.8 basis function and type-1 fuzzy classifier (rbio-WT-Type-1-FLC), providing competitive performance (within the margin of error: 0.89%), but it is computationally simpler and would be readily adapted to identify other potentially relevant EEG waveforms.

Latent Phase Detection of Hypoxic-Ischemic Spike Transients in the EEG of Preterm Fetal Sheep Using Reverse Biorthogonal Wavelets & Fuzzy Classifier.

Hypoxic-ischemic (HI) studies in preterms lack reliable prognostic biomarkers for diagnostic tests of HI encephalopathy (HIE). Our group's observations from in utero fetal sheep models suggest that potential biomarkers of HIE in the form of developing HI micro-scale epileptiform transients emerge along suppressed EEG/ECoG background during a latent phase of 6-7h post-insult. However, having to observe for the whole of the latent phase disqualifies any chance of clinical intervention. A precise automatic identification of these transients can help for a well-timed diagnosis of the HIE and to stop the spread of the injury before it becomes irreversible. This paper reports fusion of Reverse-Biorthogonal Wavelets with Type-1 Fuzzy classifiers, for the accurate real-time automatic identification and quantification of high-frequency HI spike transients in the latent phase, tested over seven in utero preterm sheep. Considerable high performance of 99.78 ± 0.10% was obtained from the Rbio-Wavelet Type-1 Fuzzy classifier for automatic identification of HI spikes tested over 42h of high-resolution recordings (sampling-freq:1024Hz). Data from post-insult automatic time-localization of high-frequency HI spikes reveals a promising trend in the average rate of the HI spikes, even in the animals with shorter occlusion periods, which highlights considerable higher number of transients within the first 2h post-insult.

Progress Toward Accurate Measurement of Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma Actuator Power

The accurate measurement of power consumption by dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuators is a challenge due to the characteristics of the actuator current signal. Microdischarges generate high-amplitude, high-frequency current spike transients superimposed on a low-amplitude, low-frequency current. A high-speed digital oscilloscope was used to measure the actuator power consumption using the shunt resistor method and the monitor capacitor method. The measurements were performed simultaneously and compared to each other in a time-accurate manner. It was found that low signal-to-noise ratios of the oscilloscopes used, in combination with the high dynamic range of the current spikes, make the shunt resistor method inaccurate. An innovative, nonlinear signal compression circuit was applied to the actuator current signal and yielded excellent agreement between the two methods. The paper describes the issues and challenges associated with performing accurate power measurements. It provides insights into the two methods including new insight into the Lissajous curve of the monitor capacitor method. Extension to a broad range of parameters and further development of the compression hardware will be performed in future work.

HV-CMOS Design and Characterization of a Smart Rotor Coil Driver for Automotive Alternators

The work presents a single-chip integrated rotor coil driver (RCD) that can be used in automotive alternators. It integrates the power switch with the control circuitry and the diagnostics; with respect to the state of the art, new functionalities are integrated such as full reverse polarity protection and programmable output slope control against in-rush currents and current spike transients. The paper will discuss the driver IC design from the choice of the architecture to the real silicon implementation. The proposed innovative RCD has been implemented in a 0.35 μm HV-CMOS technology and has been embedded in a mechatronic brush-holder regulator system-on-chip for an automotive alternator. The simulation results and experimental measurements prove the effectiveness of the proposed RCD facing the harshest automotive conditions.

Response to CO2 of neurons in the rostral ventral medulla in vitro

1. It has been hypothesized that CO2-sensitive neurons are located in the rostral ventral medulla. To demonstrate this at the cellular level, perforated patch-clamp recordings were made from rat medullary slices in vitro. The effect of respiratory acidosis/alkalosis on the electrophysiologic properties of neurons was studied by recording membrane potential while changing the CO2 of the bath solution and allowing pH to vary. 2. At baseline, most neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (VLM) and rostral medullary raphe spontaneously fired repetitively at a regular rate (3.3 +/- 2.5 Hz, mean +/- SD) with a linear interspike ramp depolarization (n = 102 of 135). Spontaneous firing continued after synaptic blockade with high-magnesium, low-calcium solution (n = 14 of 15). Spontaneous firing of calcium spikes continued in tetrodotoxin (TTX; n = 13 of 13), but was blocked by TTX and cadmium (n = 4 of 4). 3. The effect of respiratory acidosis/alkalosis on neurons was examined by changing the CO2 of the bicarbonate-buffered bath solution within the range of 3-9%. Most neurons studied (n = 74 of 105) did not change their firing rate in response to this stimulus; however, some neurons were stimulated (n = 16) and other neurons were inhibited (n = 15) by increases in CO2. 4. In many CO2-stimulated neurons, the increase in firing rate caused by an increase in CO2 was associated with an increase in slope of the linear interspike ramp depolarization, whereas in many CO2-inhibited neurons the opposite occurred, i.e., an increase in CO2 resulted in a decrease in slope of the ramp depolarization. These changes occurred without a change in the level of afterhyperpolarization or spike threshold. 5. Whole cell patch-clamp recording invariably resulted in loss of spontaneous and stimulated repetitive firing over 10-40 min despite good resting potential, input resistance, and amplitude of single depolarization-evoked spikes. CO2 produced no change in membrane potential in neurons after rundown of repetitive firing. The loss of repetitive firing and CO2 sensitivity with whole cell recording required the use of perforated-patch recordings of membrane potential or cell-attached-patch recordings of spike transients to accurately study the baseline electrophysiologic properties and CO2 sensitivity of rostral medullary neurons. 6. Neuronal location was determined before each recording using direct visualization of living slices, and after some recordings using biocytin staining. CO2-stimulated and CO2-inhibited neurons were both found to have cell bodies in the rostral VLM, an area thought to contain central respiratory chemoreceptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Spatial distribution of Ca2+ influx in turtle Purkinje cell dendrites in vitro: role of a transient outward current.

1. Intracellular recordings were made from Purkinje cells in a slice preparation of the turtle cerebellum. Simultaneously, changes in [Ca2+]i in all regions of the cell were detected with high-speed fluorescence imaging of injected fura-2. Cells were stimulated either intrasomatically or synaptically. In addition, the cells were polarized locally with an external electrical field aligned parallel to the soma-dendritic axis. 2. The soma, smooth dendrites, and spiny dendrites displayed voltage-dependent changes in [Ca2+]i. Changes in the somatic region were correlated with Na+ spike firing and local depolarization. Small [Ca2+]i changes in the spiny dendrites were correlated with graded potentials and larger changes with Ca2+ action potentials. Individual Ca2+ spike transients sometimes occurred separately in different dendritic regions demonstrating localized firing. 3. The amplitude and spatial extent of spike-related [Ca2+]i transients were increased with intrasomatic depolarizing prestimulus membrane potentials and reduced by hyperpolarizing prestimulus potentials. This dependence and the latency to Ca2+ spike activation were strongly reduced by 4-aminopyridine (4-AP). These results suggest that a transient A-like current regulates the generation of Ca2+ spikes and the localization of Ca2+ influx in turtle Purkinje cell dendrites. 4. Both electric field depolarization and intrasomatic depolarization affected the generation of Ca2+ spikes and [Ca2+]i signals in a similar manner. Strong field stimulation could evoke focal depolarization at the tips of the spiny dendrites and cause local Ca2+ spike generation near the pial surface. When both stimuli were used, their effects were additive. 5. Climbing fiber (CF) or parallel fiber (PF) stimulation were associated with the generation of dendritic Ca2+ transients. In some experiments the PF-induced Ca2+ transients were confined to a small part of the spiny dendrites. The spatial distribution and the amplitude of these transients were influenced by somatic depolarization or field stimulation in a manner similar to their effect on directly evoked Ca2+ spikes and consistent with the involvement of a transient outward current in the control of the synaptically induced Ca2+ influx. 6. These results suggest that the intrinsic potassium conductances dynamically modulate spatial integration and influence the compartmentalization of Ca2+ spikes and [Ca2+]i changes in the dendrites.

Light-induced rapid absorption changes during photosynthesis. VIII. Cytochrome and bacteriochlorophyll reactions in Rhodospirillum rubrum cells

By means of flash spectrophotometry, the oxidation reactions of cytochromes c 2 and b can be differentiated. Cytochrome c 2 oxidation had a risetime of 1–2 msec; that of cytochrome b was several times longer. Both risetimes were several orders of magnitude longer than the duration of the excitation flash, suggesting that both cytochromes were oxidized in the dark. Unique for the cytochrome- b transients was the appearance of sharp spikes occurring always in the direction opposite of those of the cytochrome- b oxidation. These transient spikes occurred at an excitation intensity level beyond the saturation level for both cytochromes c 2 and b. The risetime for the sharp spike transients was approx. 50 μsec. In the wild-type Rhodospirillum rubrum cells, reactions due to the carotenoids caused spectral changes in the 470–560-mμ region. This resulted in an unproportionately large negative α- and β-bands in the light- minus-dark difference spectrum. There was no noticeable difference in the decay kinetics between the cytochromes and the carotenoids. The oxidation of both cytochromes c 2 and b was stopped near o°. At −196°, positive bands appeared at 430 and 790 mμ, and negative bands appeared at 380, 810 and 870 mμ. All reactions taking place at the liquid-nitrogen temperature had a risetime of approx. 50 μsec. The low-temperature difference spectrum probably represents changes originated from the bacteriochlorophyll molecules. The net effect of 4 inhibitors ( p-chloromercuribenzoate (PCMB), phenylmercuriacetate, 2- n-heptyl-4-hydroxyquinoline- N-oxide (HOQNO), and antimycin A) on R. rubrum cells was similar, i.e., the light- minus-dark difference spectrum resembled closely that obtained with whole cells at −196° or from chromatophores at room temperature. The effect of PCMB on the transients at all wavelengths was immediate. In the presence of phenylmercuriacetate, HOQNO or antimycin A, however, the final transient profile at 420 mμ took more than 2 h to become established. Prior to that time, the transient underwent a series of intermediate stages. More unusally, the 420-mμ transient in the presence of HOQNO or antFSimycin A appeared to completely revert to the initial profile at approx. 120 min after the inhibitor was added.