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The review of 'Recognizing faces' by Hadyn Ellis, published in the British Journal of Psychology in 1975, marked the genesis of a distinct field of research. This seminal review sprang from a broader programme of research on face recognition conducted at the University of Aberdeen, whose influence continues to be felt in what has become an internationally important research area. We discuss the background to the Aberdeen research, summarize some of its achievements, and offer reasons why it proved so successful. These reasons include the synergy between theory and practice-based studies, the value of combining different perspectives and sources of evidence, sound techniques that led to easily reproducible findings, and the emphasis on testing even the most 'common sense' assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The understanding of the bio-geochemical behavior of the uranium radionuclides in the environmental matrices is crucial for the health safety point of view. The research was carried out in munitions testing sites New Golloway (SW) of Scotland at the Dunderann firing range which is contaminated with depleted uranium and site is particularly important because it provides a controlled environment for the investigation of post depositional association of Depleted Uranium (DU) in contaminated soils. This study used the modified BCR sequential extraction method to investigates the association of DU in at the different sampling location and in a control soil and were followed by elemental analysis using inductively coupled-optical Emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES).The Certified Reference Material (CRM) were used for the validation of the concentration. The concentrations of (Bureau of Reference) BCR-extracted Uranium (U) were in the range of 4-40 (±13.2) mg kg for the DU-contaminated sites whilst U was barely detectable in the soil from the control site (Rebury Gun) RGW. With the exception of RGH and RGW, the values for BCR-extracted U compared well with those obtained using Aqaua-regia. The obtained result showed that the maximum Uranium deposition is at RGE and it is 20 mg kg before hitting the target, the 6 mg kg at RGH and minimum is at RGG and RGW control site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cores collected from ombrotrophic peat bogs in west central, east central, northeast and southwest Scotland were dated (14C, 210Pb) and analyzed (ICP-OES, ICP-MS) to derive and compare their historical records of atmospheric anthropogenic Pb deposition over the past 2500 years. On the basis of Pb isotopic composition (e.g., 206Pb/207Pb), clear indications of Pb contamination during the pre-Roman/Roman, post-Roman and medieval periods were attributed to the mining and smelting of Pb ores from Britain and elsewhere in Europe. Between the 17th and early 20th centuries, during the industrial period, the mining and smelting of indigenous Scottish Pb ores were the most important sources of anthropogenic Pb deposition at three of the sites. In contrast, at the most southerly site, influences from the use of both British Pb ores and imported Australian Pb ores (in more southern parts of Britain) since the late 19th century were evident. At each of the sites, Australian-Pb-influenced car exhaust emissions (from the 1930s to late 1990s), along with significant contributions from coal combustion (until the late 1960s and onset of the postindustrial period), were evident. Atmospheric anthropogenic Pb deposition across Scotland was greatest (~10 to 40 mg m-2 a-1) between the late 1880s and late 1960s, increasing southward, declining to 0.44 to 5.7 mg m-2 a-1 by the early 2000s. The records from four peat bogs extend knowledge of the chronology of atmospheric Pb deposition trends across the northern hemisphere, there being general agreement with other environmental archive records from not only Scotland but also other countries in western Europe and Greenland. Nevertheless, during all periods investigated here, the isotopic composition of atmospheric Pb deposition across western Europe and Greenland exhibited variations in the relative importance of different sources of anthropogenic Pb, as well as some differences in timings and magnitudes of anthropogenic Pb contamination, arising from variations in local and regional sources of Pb deposition and possibly climatic regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrological budgets and flow pathways have been quantified for a small upland catchment (1.76 km²) in the northeast of Scotland. Water balance calculations for four subcatchments identified spatial variability within the catchment, with an estimated runoff enhancement of up to 25% for the upper western area, compared with the rest of the catchment. Data from spatial hydrochemical sampling, over a range of flow conditions, were used to identify the principal hillslope runoff mechanisms within the catchment. A hydrochemical mixing analysis revealed that runoff emerging from springs in various locations of the hillslope accounted for a significant proportion of flow in the streams, even during storm events. A hydrological model of the catchment was calibrated using the calculated stream flows for four locations, together with results from the mixing analysis for different time points. The calibrated model was used to predict the temporal variability in contributions to stream flow from the hillslope springs and soil water flows. The overall split ranged from 57% : 43% spring water: soil water in the upper eastern subcatchment, to 76% 24% in the upper western subcatchment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have reported a large study of patients admitted to hospital following head injury in the city of Glasgow over one calendar year. This showed 1000 patients still to be disabled one year after their injury. In order to see whether the difficulties reported by these patients represented needs for rehabilitation services, we undertook a parallel study in which a separate group of 26 patients were assessed by the same methods as in the main group, but also had a clinical review by an experienced rehabilitation medicine physician, to determine the patient's rehabilitation needs. The physician was unaware of the results of the first assessment. Both the extent and the nature of the services as needed were reported remarkably similarly by each form of assessment. In addition, the Glasgow Outcome Scale categories were closely related to the need for services. We conclude that the data reported by Thornhill et al. can be used to estimate the volume and type of rehabilitation services required by head injured patients in the early months after injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Examines the ten year outcome of women after the transsphenoidal surgery of microprolactinoma in Glasgow, Scotland. Determination of prolactin concentration; Definition of prolactinemia operative failure; Incidence of postoperative hypopituitarism.

Although the causes of head injury, the population at risk, and approaches to prevention and treatment are continually evolving, there is little information about how these are reflected in patterns of mortality over time. We used population-based comprehensive data uniquely available in Scotland to investigate changes in the total numbers of deaths from 1974 to 2012, as well as the rates of head injury death, from different causes, overall and in relation to age and gender. Total mortality fell from an annual average of 503 to 339 with a corresponding annual decrease in rate from 9.6 to 6.4 per 100,000 population, the decline substantially occurring between 1974 and 1990. Deaths in children fell strikingly, but rose in older people. Deaths in males fell to a greater extent than females, but remained at a higher rate overall. Initially, a transport accident accounted for most deaths, but these fell by 80%, from 325 per year to 65 per year over the 39-year period. Deaths from falling and all other causes did not decline, coming to outnumber transport accident deaths by 1998, which accounts for the overall absence of change in total mortality in recent years. In order to reduce mortality in the future, more-effective measures to prevent falls are needed and these strategies will vary in younger adults (where alcohol is often a factor), as well as in older adults where infirmity can be a cause. In addition, measures to sustain reductions in transport accidents need to be maintained and further developed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roadside dust can contain particulates enriched with potentially toxic elements (PTEs) as a result of the degradation of mechanical vehicular parts, tyre wear and combustion processes. To assess the potential accumulation of these metals in roadside areas, a snapshot study was carried out, investigating metal content at rural and urban locations in central Scotland. Samples of road dust were collected at six sites representing low, medium and high traffic intensity at rural and urban locations. The samples were separated based on particle size and analysed for heavy metal content using inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) after acid digestion. The metals analysed were aluminium (Al), cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), copper (Cu), iron (Fe), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn). The rural area measurements were carried out in West Lothian, approximately 13 to 17 miles west of the city of Edinburgh (UK). The urban area measurements were carried out in the southern part of the Edinburgh city district (UK). Concentrations of Cu, Cr and Zn were found to correlate with traffic intensity, although only Cu and Zn concentrations exceed recommended EC directive 86/278/EEC guidelines for urban runoff materials. The metal concentrations of small particles (0.45-20 μm) were exceedingly high in both Cu and Zn at areas of high traffic intensity, indicating potential areas of concern regarding health impacts for pedestrians and cyclists who are exposed to roadside dust on a regular basis.

Relatives of people with aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) may be at increased risk of SAH, but precise data on the level of risk and which relatives are most likely to be affected are lacking. We studied two samples: 5478 relatives of patients from the whole of Scotland who had a SAH in one year and 3213 relatives of patients with a SAH admitted to the West of Scotland regional neurosurgical unit 10 years previously. Overall, 2% of all relatives in each sample had a SAH. In the Scotland-wide sample, the absolute lifetime risk of SAH (from birth to 70 years) was higher for first-degree relatives [4.7%; 95% confidence interval (CI): 3.1-6.3%] than for second-degree (1.9%; 95% CI: 1.0-2.9%). In the West of Scotland sample, the lifetime risks were very similar to the Scotland-wide sample. The 10-year prospective risk for first-degree relatives alive at the time of the index patient's SAH was 1.2% (95% CI: 0.4-2%) and for second-degree was 0.5% (95% CI: 0.1-0.8%). There was a trend for risk to be highest in families with two first-degree relatives affected and lowest with only one second-degree affected. Most living relatives of patients who suffer a SAH are at low absolute risk of a future haemorrhage; screening is inappropriate except for the few families in whom two or more first-degree relatives, i.e. index case plus one extra have been affected.

The inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS)-determined 206Pb/207Pb ratio of 145 samples of rainwater collected at 25 locations around Scotland during December 1997 and January 1998 and at three longterm monitoring stations in the northeast, central belt and southeast of the country from November 1997 to December 1998 averaged 1.144+/-0.017 (1 s). This represents a significant increase from the mean value of 1.120+/-0.016 recorded for the long-term sites in 1989 1991, only partly attributable to a concomitant increase in the 206Pb/207Pb ratio of leaded petrol from 1.075+/-0.013 to 1.088+/-0.007. The rainwater 206Pb/207Pb data for the late 1990s also contrast markedly with the lower 206Pb/207Pb ratios found for pine needle and atmospheric particulate samples from Scotland (e.g. Glasgow: 1.085+/-0.012 in 1985-1986, 1.099+/-0.007 in 1991-1992), England and Western Europe in this study for the period 1982-1992 when emissions of lead to the atmosphere from petrol-engined vehicles in the UK were approximately 2-9 times higher. The observed change in the lead isotopic signature of rainwater predominantly reflects the impact of measures, such as the introduction and growing uptake of unleaded petrol, to reduce car exhaust emissions of lead to the atmosphere in the UK. Based on the rainwater data, source apportionment calculations suggest a general decline in the contribution of leaded petrol to atmospheric lead in Scotland from 53-61% in 1989-1991 to 32-45% in 1997-1998, with a corresponding decline in the urban environment from 84-86% to 48-58%.

A survey into the prevalence of salmonella organisms in sewage in the Borders Region of South-east Scotland is described. A total of 317 isolates representing 34 different serotypes were made, of which only 5 serotypes appeared in animals, supporting the view that the spreading of sewage sludge on to pastureland presents little risk to livestock provided the recommended guidelines are followed. Nevertheless, Salmonella typhimurium phage type 12, identified in sewage, was also recovered from animals in incidents on 11 farms, including 4 which had received sludge from this source. A further 48 isolates (13 serotypes) were obtained from the parallel monitoring of abattoir effluents, indicating that the background level of salmonella infection in the animal population appears to be low in comparison to that in humans.