Determination of the calcium spark amplitude distribution is of critical importance for understanding the nature of elementary calcium release events in striated muscle. In the present study we show, on general theoretical grounds, that calcium sparks, as observed in confocal line scan images, should have a nonmodal, monotonic decreasing amplitude distribution, regardless of whether the underlying events are stereotyped. To test this prediction we developed, implemented, and verified an automated computer algorithm for objective detection and measurement of calcium sparks in raw image data. When the sensitivity and reliability of the algorithm were set appropriately, we observed highly left-skewed or monotonic decreasing amplitude distributions in skeletal muscle cells and cardiomyocytes, confirming the theoretical predictions. The previously reported modal or Gaussian distributions of sparks detected by eye must therefore be the result of subjective detection bias against small amplitude events. In addition, we discuss possible situations when a modal distribution might be observed.
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 9. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 04 October 2016.
All research outputs
#4,597,585
of 30,679,167 outputs
Outputs from Biophysical Journal
#1,031
of 11,188 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#7,574
of 121,621 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Biophysical Journal
#5
of 52 outputs
Altmetric has tracked 30,679,167 research outputs across all sources so far. Compared to these this one has done well and is in the 83rd percentile: it's in the top 25% of all research outputs ever tracked by Altmetric.
So far Altmetric has tracked 11,188 research outputs from this source. They typically receive a little more attention than average, with a mean Attention Score of 5.3. This one has done well, scoring higher than 88% of its peers.
Older research outputs will score higher simply because they've had more time to accumulate mentions. To account for age we can compare this Altmetric Attention Score to the 121,621 tracked outputs that were published within six weeks on either side of this one in any source. This one has done particularly well, scoring higher than 90% of its contemporaries.
We're also able to compare this research output to 52 others from the same source and published within six weeks on either side of this one. This one has done well, scoring higher than 84% of its contemporaries.
