Close Physical Contact Research Articles

The Baby Care Questionnaire: A measure of parenting principles and practices during infancy

The current report provides a new framework to explore the role of parenting practices and principles during infancy. We identify structure and attunement as key parenting principles during infancy. Structure represents reliance on regularity and routines in daily life. Attunement represents reliance on infant cues and close physical contact. We suggest parents’ relative endorsement of these parenting principles is related to their choices about practices such as feeding, holding and night-time sleeping. We designed the Baby Care Questionnaire to measure parents’ endorsement of structure and attunement, as well as their daily parenting practices. We report data demonstrating the factor structure, reliability and validity of the BCQ. The BCQ, to our knowledge, is the first comprehensive measure of parenting practices and principles during infancy. We conclude with a discussion of future directions for the measure.

Do plasma oxytocin and vasopressin indicate effects of bonding therapy and interpersonal trust?

Oxytocin (OT) has been found to be involved in many kinds of social closeness and trust and to reduce stress, whereas vasopressin (AVP) is claimed to be associated with aggression or anxiety. Although it is unclear, if plasma OT and AVP reflect brain levels of these peptides, it seemed worthwhile to test changes in plasma levels of both peptides elicited by social stimuli. A natural setting for inducing close physical contact is bonding therapy. Therefore blood samples from 40 psychosomatic inpatients treated for 7 weeks by bonding therapy were obtained before and after the first and last bonding session. They filled in the attachment style questionnaire RSQ and rated their accompanying emotional experiences after each session. Results: Increases of both peptides and significant positive relationships between OT and AVP responses were found after the last but not after the first session. Correlations between values of sessions 1 and 7 indicated stability of both peptide responses, and an increase in size of treatment responses demonstrated “learning” the release of peptides by bonding. No relations were found with bonding induced emotional states, but RSQ trust scores at session 7 were associated with high baseline VAS levels, less with OT values. Conclusions: AVP and OT responses in plasma seem to co-vary, to be fairly stable biomarkers, and susceptible to changes by long term bonding treatment. Moreover, AVP seems to be an indicator of trust rather than of aggression.

206: Transcriptional signatures of pathogenesis and successful type I interferon and ribavirin therapy in a rhesus macaque model of MERS-CoV infection

A novel betacoronavirus, Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV), emerged on the Arabian Peninsula in 2012. MERS-CoV was found to produce severe respiratory illness with case-fatality rates near 50%, and may be transmitted person-to-person in instances of close physical contact, such as among family members and to health care workers. As mice, hamsters, ferrets, and cynomolgus macaques are either not susceptible to MERS-CoV infection or do not develop observable clinical disease, we sought to determine whether rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) can be used as a model of MERS-CoV infection and disease. Animals challenged with MERS-CoV via multiple combined infection routes rapidly developed pneumonia, and we observed other clinical signs of illness, virus shedding, and virus replication in respiratory tissues. Using microarrays to compare transcripts associated with histopathologic lesions removed from the lungs of infected animals, we identified 173 significant differentially expressed genes (DEG) associated with lung lesions on day 3 post-infection concurrent with peak clinical signs. Functional analysis indicated that these genes were predominantly associated with proinflammatory processes, recruitment and chemotaxis of inflammatory cells, and antiviral immunity. Using singular value decomposition coupled multidimensional scaling (SVD-MDS), we also identified changes in similar inflammatory genes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells, suggesting a rapid activation of innate immune and inflammatory processes in leukocytes after infection. These data were consistent with cytokine and chemokine profiles in the blood of animals.Due to the urgent need for an effective therapeutic means of treating MERS-CoV patients, we used this rhesus macaque model to evaluate post-exposure treatment with combination interferon (IFN)-a2b and ribavirin (RBV), and identified key transcriptional signatures associated with disease severity and treatment efficacy. Animals treated with IFN-a2b/RBV beginning 8 h post-infection did not develop significant clinical or severe histopathologic signs of disease, breathing abnormalities, or radiographic evidence of pneumonia, and showed reduced viral loads and lower levels of serum proinflammatory cytokines. Microarray analysis of treated animals showed significant induction of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) and fewer upregulated transcripts associated with inflammatory processes. Additionally, we identified a subset of statistically significant DEGs associated with signaling pathways such as hedgehog, which has been linked to airway function and protection against pulmonary injury. Together, these data indicate that treatment of MERS-CoV-infected rhesus macaques with IFN-a2b and ribavirin reduces virus replication and improves clinical outcome, and suggests a transcriptomic basis for therapeutic efficacy. As these two drugs are already used together in the clinic, IFN-a2b and ribavirin may be useful for therapeutic intervention and patient management of new human MERS-CoV cases.

Vascular endothelium leaves fingerprints on the surface of erythrocytes

Gliding of red blood cells (RBC) through blood vessels is mediated by the negatively charged glycocalyx located on the surfaces of both RBC and endothelial cells (EC). In various vasculopathies, EC gradually lose this protective surface layer. As a consequence, RBC come into close physical contact with the vascular endothelium. It is hypothesized that the RBC glycocalyx could be adversely affected by a poor EC glycocalyx. This hypothesis was tested by evaluating the RBC and EC surface layers with atomic force microscopy techniques. In the first series of experiments, EC monolayers grown in culture were exposed to rhythmic drag forces exerted from a blood overlay (drag force treatment), and thereafter, the EC surface was investigated in terms of thickness and adhesiveness. In the second series, the glycocalyx of the EC monolayers was disturbed by enzymatic cleavage of negatively charged heparan sulfates before drag force treatment, and thereafter, the RBC surface was evaluated. In the third series, the RBC glycocalyx of the blood overlay was enzymatically disturbed before drag force treatment, and thereafter, the EC surface was evaluated. A strong positive correlation between the RBC and EC surface properties was found (r (2) = 0.95). An enzymatically affected EC glycocalyx lead to the shedding of the RBC glycocalyx and vice versa. It is concluded that there is physical interaction between the blood and endothelium. Apparently, the RBC glycocalyx reflects properties of the EC glycocalyx. This observation could have a significant impact on diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.

Microscopic observation of symbiotic and aposymbiotic juvenile corals in nutrient-enriched seawater

Symbiotic and aposymbiotic juvenile corals, which were grown in the laboratory from the gametes of the scleractinian coral Acropora digitifera and had settled down onto plastic culture plates, were observed with a microscope under different nutrient conditions. The symbiotic corals successfully removed the surrounding benthic microalgae (BMA), whereas the aposymbiotic corals were in close physical contact with BMA. The areal growth rate of the symbiotic corals was significantly higher than that of the aposymbiotic corals. The addition of nutrients to the culture seawater increased the chlorophyll a content in the symbiotic coral polyps and enhanced the growth of some of the symbiotic corals, however the average growth rate was not significantly affected, most likely because of the competition with BMA. The comparison between the symbiotic and aposymbiotic juvenile corals showed that the establishment of a symbiotic association could be imperative for post-settlement juvenile corals to survive in high-nutrient seawater.

The Physical Interaction of Myoblasts with the Microenvironment during Remodeling of the Cytoarchitecture

Integrins, focal adhesions, the cytoskeleton and the extracellular matrix, form a structural continuum between the external and internal environment of the cell and mediate the pathways associated with cellular mechanosensitivity and mechanotransduction. This continuum is important for the onset of muscle tissue generation, as muscle precursor cells (myoblasts) require a mechanical stimulus to initiate myogenesis. The ability to sense a mechanical cue requires an intact cytoskeleton and strong physical contact and adhesion to the microenvironment. Importantly, myoblasts also undergo reorientation, alignment and large scale remodeling of the cytoskeleton when they experience mechanical stretch and compression in muscle tissue. It remains unclear if such dramatic changes in cell architecture also inhibit physical contact and adhesion with the tissue microenvironment that are clearly important to myoblast physiology. In this study, we employed interference reflection microscopy to examine changes in the close physical contact of myoblasts with a substrate during induced remodeling of the cytoarchitecture (de-stabilization of the actin and microtubule cytoskeleton and inhibition of acto-myosin contractility). Our results demonstrate that while each remodeling pathway caused distinct effects on myoblast morphology and sub-cellular structure, we only observed a ∼13% decrease in close physical contact with the substrate, regardless of the pathway inhibited. However, this decrease did not correlate well with changes in cell adhesion strength. On the other hand, there was a close correlation between cell adhesion and β1-integrin expression and the presence of cell-secreted fibronectin, but not with the presence of intact focal adhesions. In this study, we have shown that myoblasts are able to maintain a large degree of physical contact and adhesion to the microenvironment, even during shot periods (<60 min) of large scale remodeling and physiological stress, which is essential to their in-vivo functionality.

Ethical issues in physiotherapy – Reflected from the perspective of physiotherapists in private practice

Background: An important aspect of physiotherapy professional autonomy is the ethical code of the profession, both collectively and for the individual member of the profession. The aim of this study is to explore and add additional insight into the nature and scope of ethical issues as they are understood and experienced by Danish physiotherapists in outpatient, private practice. Methods: A qualitative approach was chosen and semi-structured interviews with 21 physiotherapists were carried out twice and analyzed, using a phenomenological hermeneutic framework. Results: One main theme emerged: The ideal of being beneficent toward the patient. Here, the ethical issues uncovered in the interviews were embedded in three code-groups: 1) ethical issues related to equality; 2) feeling obligated to do one's best; and 3) transgression of boundaries. Conclusions: In an ethical perspective, physiotherapy in private practice is on a trajectory toward increased professionalism. Physiotherapists in private practice have many reflections on ethics and these reflections are primarily based on individual common sense arguments and on deontological understandings. As physiotherapy by condition is characterized by asymmetrical power encounters where the parties are in close physical and emotional contact, practiced physiotherapy has many ethical issues embedded. Some physiotherapists meet these issues in a professional manner, but others meet them in unconscious or unprofessional ways. An explicit ethical consciousness among Danish physiotherapists in private practice seems to be needed. A debate of how to understand and respect the individual physiotherapist's moral versus the ethics of the profession needs to be addressed.

Clinical Pearls in Dermatology

Clinical Pearls in Dermatology

Cellular Host Responses to Gliomas

BackgroundGlioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of malignant primary brain tumors in adults. Molecular and genetic analysis has advanced our understanding of glioma biology, however mapping the cellular composition of the tumor microenvironment is crucial for understanding the pathology of this dreaded brain cancer. In this study we identified major cell populations attracted by glioma using orthotopic rodent models of human glioma xenografts. Marker-specific, anatomical and morphological analyses revealed a robust influx of host cells into the main tumor bed and tumor satellites.Methodology/Principal FindingsHuman glioma cell lines and glioma spheroid orthotopic implants were used in rodents. In both models, the xenografts recruited large numbers of host nestin-expressing cells, which formed a ‘network’ with glioma. The host nestin-expressing cells appeared to originate in the subventricular zone ipsilateral to the tumor, and were clearly distinguishable from pericytes that expressed smooth muscle actin. These distinct cell populations established close physical contact in a ‘pair-wise’ manner and migrated together to the deeper layers of tumor satellites and gave rise to tumor vasculature. The GBM biopsy xenografts displayed two different phenotypes: (a) low-generation tumors (first in vivo passage in rats) were highly invasive and non-angiogenic, and host nestin-positive cells that infiltrated into these tumors displayed astrocytic or elongated bipolar morphology; (b) high-generation xenografts (fifth passage) had pronounced cellularity, were angiogenic with ‘glomerulus-like’ microvascular proliferations that contained host nestin-positive cells. Stromal cell-derived factor-1 and its receptor CXCR4 were highly expressed in and around glioma xenografts, suggesting their role in glioma progression and invasion.Conclusions/SignificanceOur data demonstrate a robust migration of nestin-expressing host cells to glioma, which together with pericytes give rise to tumor vasculature. Mapping the cellular composition of glioma microenvironment and deciphering the complex ‘crosstalk’ between tumor and host may ultimately aid the development of novel anti-glioma therapies.

An in silico DNA vaccine against Listeria monocytogenes

Listeria monocytogenes causes listeriosis with mortality rate >20%. Listeriolysin-O (LLO), a pore-forming hemolysin, belongs to the family of cholesterol-dependent toxins (CDTX) and plays roles in the pathogenicity. In this study bioinformatic analyses were carried out on LLO sequence as a major immunodominant listerial antigen toward designing a DNA vaccine stimulating cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs). Mouse and human constructs were designed based on predicted T cell epitopes and MHC class I binders, which were then tandemly fused together. LLO-derived construct codons and a variety of critical gene expression efficiency parameters were optimized. Post-translational modifications such as glycosylation, phosphorylation were analysed. The constructs corresponded to LLO sequences of L. monocytogenes in BLAST search. Neither human nor mouse construct was allergen. Secretory pathway was location of the human construct that enhances immune induction and contribute to the efficacy of the vaccine candidate. mRNAs from optimized DNA sequences of both human and mouse constructs are more stable than the native and are suitable for initiation of translation. The constructs contain several sites for phosphorylation that could improve its degradation and subsequent entry into the MHC class I pathway. Addition of GPI anchor, myristoylation and ubiquitin signals or proline (P), glutamic acid (E), serine (S), threonine (T) (PEST)-like motifs at the N-terminal of constructs increase efficacy of the DNA vaccine. Close physical contact between the favorable immunogen and the suitable CpG oligodeoxynucleotides (CpG ODN) promotes immune response. Vectors for checking the expression of constructs in mammalian cells and for harboring the foreign genes as DNA vaccine are suggested.

Dogs Leaving the ICU Carry a Very Large Multi-Drug Resistant Enterococcal Population with Capacity for Biofilm Formation and Horizontal Gene Transfer

The enterococcal community from feces of seven dogs treated with antibiotics for 2–9 days in the veterinary intensive care unit (ICU) was characterized. Both, culture-based approach and culture-independent 16S rDNA amplicon 454 pyrosequencing, revealed an abnormally large enterococcal community: 1.4±0.8×108 CFU gram−1 of feces and 48.9±11.5% of the total 16,228 sequences, respectively. The diversity of the overall microbial community was very low which likely reflects a high selective antibiotic pressure. The enterococcal diversity based on 210 isolates was also low as represented by Enterococcus faecium (54.6%) and Enterococcus faecalis (45.4%). E. faecium was frequently resistant to enrofloxacin (97.3%), ampicillin (96.5%), tetracycline (84.1%), doxycycline (60.2%), erythromycin (53.1%), gentamicin (48.7%), streptomycin (42.5%), and nitrofurantoin (26.5%). In E. faecalis, resistance was common to tetracycline (59.6%), erythromycin (56.4%), doxycycline (53.2%), and enrofloxacin (31.9%). No resistance was detected to vancomycin, tigecycline, linezolid, and quinupristin/dalfopristin in either species. Many isolates carried virulence traits including gelatinase, aggregation substance, cytolysin, and enterococcal surface protein. All E. faecalis strains were biofilm formers in vitro and this phenotype correlated with the presence of gelE and/or esp. In vitro intra-species conjugation assays demonstrated that E. faecium were capable of transferring tetracycline, doxycycline, streptomycin, gentamicin, and erythromycin resistance traits to human clinical strains. Multi-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) of E. faecium strains showed very low genotypic diversity. Interestingly, three E. faecium clones were shared among four dogs suggesting their nosocomial origin. Furthermore, multi-locus sequence typing (MLST) of nine representative MLVA types revealed that six sequence types (STs) originating from five dogs were identical or closely related to STs of human clinical isolates and isolates from hospital outbreaks. It is recommended to restrict close physical contact between pets released from the ICU and their owners to avoid potential health risks.

The Complete Genome Sequence of Fibrobacter succinogenes S85 Reveals a Cellulolytic and Metabolic Specialist

Fibrobacter succinogenes is an important member of the rumen microbial community that converts plant biomass into nutrients usable by its host. This bacterium, which is also one of only two cultivated species in its phylum, is an efficient and prolific degrader of cellulose. Specifically, it has a particularly high activity against crystalline cellulose that requires close physical contact with this substrate. However, unlike other known cellulolytic microbes, it does not degrade cellulose using a cellulosome or by producing high extracellular titers of cellulase enzymes. To better understand the biology of F. succinogenes, we sequenced the genome of the type strain S85 to completion. A total of 3,085 open reading frames were predicted from its 3.84 Mbp genome. Analysis of sequences predicted to encode for carbohydrate-degrading enzymes revealed an unusually high number of genes that were classified into 49 different families of glycoside hydrolases, carbohydrate binding modules (CBMs), carbohydrate esterases, and polysaccharide lyases. Of the 31 identified cellulases, none contain CBMs in families 1, 2, and 3, typically associated with crystalline cellulose degradation. Polysaccharide hydrolysis and utilization assays showed that F. succinogenes was able to hydrolyze a number of polysaccharides, but could only utilize the hydrolytic products of cellulose. This suggests that F. succinogenes uses its array of hemicellulose-degrading enzymes to remove hemicelluloses to gain access to cellulose. This is reflected in its genome, as F. succinogenes lacks many of the genes necessary to transport and metabolize the hydrolytic products of non-cellulose polysaccharides. The F. succinogenes genome reveals a bacterium that specializes in cellulose as its sole energy source, and provides insight into a novel strategy for cellulose degradation.

Evolutionary perspectives on mother-infant sleep proximity and breastfeeding in a laboratory setting.

Human maternal and infant biology likely coevolved in a context of close physical contact and some approximation of frequent, "infant-initiated" breastfeeding. Still, mothers and infants commonly sleep apart from one another in many western societies, indicating a possible "mismatch" between cultural norms and infant biology. Here we present data from a 3-night laboratory-based study that examines differences in mother-infant sleep physiology and behavior when mothers and infants sleep together on the same surface (bedsharing) and apart in separate rooms (solitary). We analyze breastfeeding frequency and interval data from the first laboratory night (FN) for 52 complementary breastfeeding mothers and infants (26 total mother-infant pairs), of which 12 pairs were routine bedsharers (RB) and 14 were routine solitary sleepers (RS). RB infants were 12.0 ± 2.7 (SD) weeks old; RS infants were 13.0 ± 2.4 weeks old. On the FN, RB mother-infant pairs (while bedsharing) engaged in a greater number of feeds per night compared to RS (while sleeping alone) (P < 0.001). RB also showed lower intervals (min) between feeds relative to RS (P < 0.05). When we evaluated data from all three laboratory nights (n = 36), post hoc, RB breastfed significantly more often (P < 0.01) and showed a trend towards lower intervals between feeds (P < 0.10). Given the widely known risks associated with little or no breastfeeding, the demonstrated mutually regulatory relationship between bedsharing and breastfeeding should be considered in future studies evaluating determinants of breastfeeding outcomes.

Cluster of Nipah Virus Infection, Kushtia District, Bangladesh, 2007

ObjectiveIn March 2007, we investigated a cluster of Nipah encephalitis to identify risk factors for Nipah infection in Bangladesh.MethodsWe defined confirmed Nipah cases by the presence of IgM and IgG antibodies against Nipah virus in serum. Case-patients, who resided in the same village during the outbreak period but died before serum could be collected, were classified as probable cases.ResultsWe identified three confirmed and five probable Nipah cases. There was a single index case. Five of the secondary cases came in close physical contact to the index case when she was ill. Case-patients were more likely to have physical contact with the index case (71% cases versus 0% controls, p = <0.001). The index case, on her third day of illness, and all the subsequent cases attended the same religious gathering. For three probable cases including the index case, we could not identify any known risk factors for Nipah infection such as physical contact with Nipah case-patients, consumption of raw date palm juice, or contact with sick animals or fruit bats.ConclusionThough person-to-person transmission remains an important mode of transmission for Nipah infection, we could not confirm the source of infection for three of the probable Nipah case-patients. Continued surveillance and outbreak investigations will help better understand the transmission of Nipah virus and develop preventive strategies.

Radiation protection of medical staff

The continuing increase in the worldwide use of X-ray imaging has implications for radiation protection of medical staff. Much of the increased usage could be viewed as simply a workload issue with no particular new challenges. However, advances in technology and developments in techniques have seen an increase in the number of X-ray procedures in which medical personnel need to maintain close physical contact with the patient during radiation exposures. The complexity of many procedures means the potential for significant occupational exposure is high, and appropriate steps must be taken to ensure that actual occupational exposures are as low as reasonably achievable. Further attention to eye protection may be necessitated if a lowering of the dose limit for the lens of the eye is implemented in the near future. Education and training in radiation protection as it applies to specific situations, established working procedures, availability and use of appropriate protective tools, and an effective monitoring programme are all essential elements in ensuring that medical personnel in X-ray imaging are adequately and acceptably protected.

Family Centred Care—A way to connect patients, families and nurses in critical care: A qualitative study using telephone interviews

This study sought to describe families' experiences of providing physical care to their critically ill relatives with bed-side nurses' support. A qualitative research design was used and telephone interviews were conducted with 10 family members. The interviews were analysed using content analysis where data were grouped around central, recurrent ideas. A purposeful sample of family members who had performed care for their sick relative were drawn from a critical care unit in a large tertiary hospital in Australia. The data revealed three main themes in relation to the family members' perceptions of providing some fundamental care to their sick relative. The three themes included: (1) 'Enacting Care'; (2) 'Connecting with Sick Relatives' and (3) 'Partnering with Nurses'. This study demonstrates that family members of critically ill patients enjoyed participating in their relatives' care and critical care nurses supported them in individualizing the care. They felt useful and it improved communication and facilitated close physical and emotional contact with their relative. This partnership approach successfully incorporated family members into the daily care for their sick relative and connects patients, families and nurses in critical care within this Family Centred Care model of care.

An improved transconjugation protocol for Bacillus megaterium facilitating a direct genetic knockout

We provide a simple but very efficient transconjugation protocol for Bacillus megaterium. By combining utile attributes of known transconjugation methods (small size of the transferred DNA, close physical contact between donor and recipient cells, and heat treatment of the latter) and by determining the appropriate donor/recipient ratio, mating approaches yielded 5 x 10(-5) transconjugants/recipient. Counter-selection for eliminating Escherichia coli donor cells from the mating mixture was possible by pasteurization in case a wild type sporulation proficient B. megaterium served as the mating partner. For nonsporulating mutants, the sacB gene from Bacillus subtilis coding for levansucrase was successfully employed to select against the E. coli donor. The transfer efficiency, up to 15,000 transconjugants acquirable in a single experiment, sufficed--for the first time in this species--to directly select a gene (uvrA) knockout in a one-step procedure. By making use of a mobilizable B. megaterium suicide vector, ten out of the 40 sampled putative transconjugants displayed the expected UV sensitivity and were found to harbor the suicide vector at the anticipated position. Along with the soon available information arising from current B. megaterium sequencing projects, the possibility to quickly inactivate genetic loci will considerably speed up genetic work with this biotechnologically relevant species.

Evaluation of an Interstitial Cooling Device for Carotid Arterial Cooling Using a Tissue Equivalent Gel Phantom

In this study, we build and test a prototype of an interstitial cooling device in a tissue-equivalent gel phantom mimicking the human neck. The effectiveness of the device is measured by the capability of delivering a coolant temperature of lower than 5°C at the entrance of the device and the measured temperature decay along a glass tube filled with water circulating at a speed similar to that in the carotid artery. The experimental study has identified a cooling prototype design, which is capable of inducing sufficient temperature reduction along the common carotid artery. It also tests how easy to handle the device to ensure a close physical contact between the device and the glass tube. A 5°C coolant temperature can be delivered at the device entrance when using above 0°C coolant in the reservoir. The surface temperature of the device is found almost uniform. Despite its limitations, the experimental results agree generally with previous theoretical predictions. The 8 cm long and 3 cm wide device with a coolant temperature lower than 10°C is capable of inducing a temperature reduction of at least 2.5°C along the glass tube filled with water circulating at 240 ml/min. For higher water flow rates, one needs to increase the length of the device and/or lower the coolant temperature to achieve similar temperature decays along the glass tube.

The Presentation and Management of Genital Herpes

Genital herpes is a common condition which is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). There are two viral types, HSV1 and HSV2, both of which contribute to oral and genital infections. HSV is readily inactivated at room temperature and by drying, so transmission is by close physical contact, either sexual or genital. Most people acquire HSV subclinically through an infected contact. After the primary infection, the virus lies dormant in local sensory ganglia and reactivates intermittently resulting in lesions or asymptomatic shedding of virus.

Powering an Implantable Minipump with a Multi-layered Printed Circuit Coil for Drug Infusion Applications in Rodents

We report the use of a multi-layer printed coil circuit for powering (36-94 mW) an implantable microbolus infusion pump (MIP) that can be activated remotely for use in drug infusion in nontethered, freely moving small animals. This implantable device provides a unique experimental tool with applications in the fields of animal behavior, pharmacology, physiology, and functional brain imaging. Two different designs are described: a battery-less pump usable when the animal is inside a home-cage surrounded by a primary inductive coil and a pump powered by a rechargeable battery that can be used for studies outside the home-cage. The use of printed coils for powering of small devices by inductive power transfer presents significant advantages over similar approaches using hand-wound coils in terms of ease of manufacturing and uniformity of design. The high efficiency of a class-E oscillator allowed powering of the minipumps without the need for close physical contact of the primary and secondary coils, as is currently the case for most devices powered by inductive power transfer.