Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for modifying neural activity by applying electrical current to a neural tissue, e.g., in a transcranial DC stimulation procedure (tDCS), a transcranial AC stimulation procedure (tACS), a transcranial random noise stimulation procedure (tRNS), a deep brain stimulation procedure (DBS), a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation procedure (TENS), or the like. Historically, computed potential, electrical field, and/or current density distributions have been used to select the locations of the electrodes that apply the electrical current. In the present disclosure, a computed charge distribution on the bounding surface of one or more sulci filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is used in selecting the electrode locations. In one embodiment, the sulcus's bounding surface is divided into pixels and each pixel's charge is determined by the pixel functioning as a sensor for the charges surrounding it, including the charges of other pixels and the charges on the electrodes.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Computer-based computational tools for use in determining spatial charge distributions for biological systems that include one or more biological membranes are provided. At least one of the biological membrane includes at least two regions having different electrical properties, e.g., the biological membrane can include a pore having a higher conductivity than the surrounding bulk membrane. In other cases, the membrane can include non-active and active regions, with conservative fields acting at the non-active regions and a combination of conservative and non-conservative fields acting at the active regions. The non-conservative fields can, for example, originate from differences in ionic concentrations of the type which generate Nernst potential differences across membranes. Using the computer-based computational tools, charge distributions not previously known to exist have been discovered, e.g., ring-shaped charge distributions in the vicinity of an active pore.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to methods for modifying neural activity by applying electrical current to a neural tissue, e.g., in a transcranial DC stimulation procedure (tDCS), a transcranial AC stimulation procedure (tACS), a transcranial random noise stimulation procedure (tRNS), a deep brain stimulation procedure (DBS), a transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation procedure (TENS), or the like. Historically, computed potential, electrical field, and/or current density distributions have been used to select the locations of the electrodes that apply the electrical current. In the present disclosure, a computed charge distribution on the bounding surface of one or more sulci filled with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is used in selecting the electrode locations. In one embodiment, the sulcus's bounding surface is divided into pixels and each pixel's charge is determined by the pixel functioning as a sensor for the charges surrounding it, including the charges of other pixels and the charges on the electrodes.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Computer-based computational tools for use in determining spatial charge distributions for biological systems that include one or more biological membranes are provided. At least one of the biological membrane includes at least two regions having different electrical properties, e.g., the biological membrane can include a pore having a higher conductivity than the surrounding bulk membrane. In other cases, the membrane can include non-active and active regions, with conservative fields acting at the non-active regions and a combination of conservative and non-conservative fields acting at the active regions. The non-conservative fields can, for example, originate from differences in ionic concentrations of the type which generate Nernst potential differences across membranes. Using the computer-based computational tools, charge distributions not previously known to exist have been discovered, e.g., ring-shaped charge distributions in the vicinity of an active pore.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Improved computer-implemented tools for use in modeling/simulating spatial charge distributions for electrophysiological systems are provided. The improvements are in three areas: (1) the use of solid angles to calculate quantities of free charge and/or bound charge in calculation cells and/or the movement of quantities of free charge across one or more faces of a calculation cell; (2) the use of flattened calculations cells having only two faces with substantial areas as seen from the free charge and/or the bound charge of the electrophysiological system; and (3) the use of at least two spatial charge distributions, specifically, at least one for bound charge and at least one for free charge, so as to include the effects of relative dielectric constants greater than 1.0 for part or all of an electrophysiological system. The three improvements can be used individually or in combinations.

Abstract: Computer-based computational tools for use in determining spatial charge distributions for biological systems that include one or more biological membranes are provided. At least one of the biological membrane includes at least two regions having different electrical properties, e.g., the biological membrane can include a pore having a higher conductivity than the surrounding bulk membrane. In other cases, the membrane can include non-active and active regions, with conservative fields acting at the non-active regions and a combination of conservative and non-conservative fields acting at the active regions. The non-conservative fields can, for example, originate from differences in ionic concentrations of the type which generate Nernst potential differences across membranes. Using the computer-based computational tools, charge distributions not previously known to exist have been discovered, e.g., ring-shaped charge distributions in the vicinity of an active pore.

Abstract: Computer-based computational tools for use in determining spatial charge distributions for biological systems that include one or more biological membranes are provided. At least one of the biological membrane includes at least two regions having different electrical properties, e.g., the biological membrane can include a pore having a higher conductivity than the surrounding bulk membrane. In other cases, the membrane can include non-active and active regions, with conservative fields acting at the non-active regions and a combination of conservative and non-conservative fields acting at the active regions. The non-conservative fields can, for example, originate from differences in ionic concentrations of the type which generate Nernst potential differences across membranes. Using the computer-based computational tools, charge distributions not previously known to exist have been discovered, e.g., ring-shaped charge distributions in the vicinity of an active pore.

Abstract: Apparatus is provided for automatically silencing a telephone ringer. In accordance with one aspect, the apparatus places the telephone's ringer under the control of a 24-hour timer so that once the timer is set, the ringer will automatically be silenced for one or more prescribed periods of time on a daily basis. In accordance with another aspect, the apparatus automatically silences the telephone's ringer in conjunction with the setting and shutting off of an alarm clock. In accordance with a further aspect, the apparatus silences the telephone's ringer in conjunction with both the operation of a 24-hour timer and the setting and shutting off of an alarm clock.

Abstract: Electrically operated apparatus silences a telephone ringer in a modular jack telephone system. The apparatus, by means of a photoresistor, or a triac-photoresistor combination, interrupts the conductive path to the telephone ringer while maintaining electrical isolation between the electrical driving current for the apparatus and the telephone network. Connected to the driving current is an incandescent or neon bulb, which, when activated, illuminates the components placed in the ringer's conductive path. Those components, when not illuminated block ringing current, and when illuminated permit it to flow.