Coordination and movement pathology: models of structure and function

Here we consider the role of abstract models in advancing our understanding of movement pathology. Models of movement coordination and control provide the frameworks necessary for the design and interpretation of studies of acquired and developmental disorders. These models do not however provide the resolution necessary to reveal the nature of the functional impairments that characterise specific movement pathologies. In addition, they do not provide a mapping between the structural bases of various pathologies and the associated disorders of movement. Current and prospective approaches to the study and treatment of movement disorders are discussed. It is argued that the appreciation of structure-function relationships, to which these approaches give rise, represents a challenge to current models of interlimb coordination, and a stimulus for their continued development. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Heat capacities of ionic liquids as a function of temperature at 0.1 MPa. measurement and prediction

Heat capacities of nine ionic liquids were measured from (293 to 358) K by using a heat flux differential scanning calorimeter. The impact of impurities (water and chloride content) in the ionic liquid was analyzed to estimate the overall uncertainty. The Joback method for predicting ideal gas heat capacities has been extended to ionic liquids by the generation of contribution parameters for three new groups. The principle of corresponding states has been employed to enable the subsequent calculation of liquid heat capacities for ionic liquids, based on critical properties predicted using the modified Lydersen-Joback-Reid method, as a function of the temperature from (256 to 470) K. A relative absolute deviation of 2.9% was observed when testing the model against 961 data points from 53 different ionic liquids reported previously and measured within this study.

Imaging the genetics of executive function

Recent advances in neuroimaging technologies have allowed ever more detailed studies of the human brain. The combination of neuroimaging techniques with genetics may provide a more sensitive measure of the influence of genetic variants on cognitive function than behavioural measures alone. Here we present a review of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of genetic links to executive functions, focusing on sustained attention, working memory and response inhibition. In addition to studies in the normal population, we also address findings from three clinical populations: schizophrenia, ADHD and autism spectrum disorders. While the findings in the populations studied do not always converge, they all point to the usefulness of neuroimaging techniques such as fMRI as potential endophenotypes for parsing the genetic aetiology of executive function. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Liquid-liquid miscibility and volumetric properties of aqueous solutions of ionic liquids as a function of temperature

The volumetric properties of seven {water + ionic liquid} binary mixtures have been studied as a function of temperature from (293 to 343) K. The phase behaviour of the systems was first investigated using a nephelometric method and excess molar volumes were calculated from densities measured using an Anton Paar densimeter and fitted using a Redlich-Kister type equation. Two ionic liquids fully miscible with water (1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([CCIm][BF]) and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium ethylsulfate ([CCIm][EtSO])) and five ionic liquids only partially miscible with water (1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([CCIm][NTf]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([CCIm][NTf]), 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([CCIm][PF]), 1-butyl-3-methylpyrrolidinium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([CCPyrro][NTf]), and butyltrimethylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([N][NTf])) were chosen. Small excess volumes (less than 0.5 cm · mol at 298 K) are obtained compared with the molar volumes of the pure components (less than 0.3% of the molar volume of the pure ionic liquid). For all the considered systems, except for {[CCIm][EtSO] + water}, positive excess molar volumes were calculated. Finally, an increase of the non-ideality character is observed for all the systems as temperature increases. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterization of silica-supported dodecatungstic heteropolyacids as a function of their dehydroxylation temperature

Dodecatungsto-silicic H4SiW12O40 and -phosphoric acids H3PW12O40 were deposited on silica by a classical impregnation technique. The resulting materials were studied by in situ Raman and infrared spectroscopy, XPS and by solid-state H-1 MAS NMR as a function of their dehydroxylation temperature. The data show that in the case of H3PW12O40 three silanol groups are protonated while in the case of H4SiW12O40 at least one acidic proton remains. Upon heating this proton reacts leading to a disordered structure and a broadening of the W-O Raman bands.