Dendritic cable with active spines: a modeling study in the spike-diffuse-spike framework

The spike-diffuse-spike (SDS) model describes a passive dendritic tree with active dendritic spines. Spine-head dynamics is modelled with a simple integrate-and-fire process, whilst communication between spines is mediated by the cable equation. Here we develop a computational framework that allows the study of multiple spiking events in a network of such spines embedded in a simple one-dimensional cable. This system is shown to support saltatory waves as a result of the discrete distribution of spines. Moreover, we demonstrate one of the ways to incorporate noise into the spine-head whilst retaining computational tractability of the model. The SDS model sustains a variety of propagating patterns.

Libtissue - Implementing Innate Immunity

In a previous paper the authors argued the case for incorporating ideas from innate immunity into artificial immune systems (AISs) and presented an outline for a conceptualframework for such systems. A number of key general properties observed in the biological innate and adaptive immune systems were highlighted, and how such properties might be instantiated in artificial systems was discussed in detail. The next logical step is to take these ideas and build a software system with which AISs with these properties can be implemented and experimentally evaluated. This paper reports on the results of that step - the libtissue system.