Subjective assessment for super recognition: an evaluation of self-report methods in civilian and police participants.

Metacognition about face recognition has been much discussed in the psychological literature. In particular, the use of self-report to identify people with prosopagnosia ("face blindness") has contentiously been debated. However, no study to date has specifically assessed metacognition at the top end of the spectrum. If people with exceptionally proficient face recognition skills ("super-recognizers," SRs) have greater insight into their abilities, self-report instruments may offer an efficient means of reducing candidate lists in SR screening programs. Here, we developed a "super-recognizer questionnaire" (SRQ), calibrated using a top-end civilian sample (Experiment 1). We examined its effectiveness in identifying SRs in pools of police (Experiment 2) and civilian (Experiment 3) participants, using objective face memory and matching tests. Moderate effect sizes in both samples suggest limited insight into face memory and target-present face matching ability, whereas the only predictor of target-absent matching performance across all samples was the number of years that an officer had been in the police force. Because the SRQ and single-item ratings showed little sensitivity in discriminating SRs from typical perceivers in police officers and civilians, we recommend against the use of self-report instruments in SR screening programs

A survey investigating postero-anterior chest X-ray clinical technique amongst radiographers and assistant practitioners in the UK: An extended pilot study

IntroductionWhilst many technical factors for the postero-anterior (PA) chest projection are well-researched and standardised, anecdotal evidence suggests a discrepancy regarding positioning of the X-ray tube; some radiographers using a horizontal tube, and others apply an angle. Currently there is a lack of published evidence supporting the benefits of either technique.MethodsFollowing University ethical approval, an invitation e-mail containing a link to a short questionnaire and participant information sheet was sent to radiographers and assistant practitioners in Liverpool and the surrounding areas, via professional networks/research team contacts. Questions related to length of experience, highest qualification and reasoned choice of horizontal versus angled tube preference in Computed Radiography (CR) and Digital Radiography (DR) rooms. The survey was open for nine weeks, with reminders at five and eight weeks.ResultsThere were 63 respondents. Both techniques were commonplace, with a non-statistically significant preference (p = 0.439) for a horizontal tube in both DR rooms (59%, n = 37) and CR rooms (52%, n = 30). Angled technique was employed by 41% (n = 26) of participants in DR rooms and 48% (n = 28) in CR rooms. Many participants indicated 'taught', or 'protocol', influenced their approach (46% [n = 29] in DR, 38% [n = 22] in CR). 35% (n = 10) of participants using caudal angulation, identified dose optimisation as the rationale in both CR and DR rooms. Most specifically noted reduced dose to the thyroid (69% [n = 11] in CR, 73% [n = 11] in DR).ConclusionsThere is evidence of variation in practice regarding horizontal versus an angled X-ray tube but no consistent rationale for either choice.Implications for practiceThere is a need to standardise tube positioning in PA chest radiography in line with future empirical research into the dose-optimisation implications of tube angulation

A multi-function compact fuel reforming reactor for fuel cell applications

A multi-function compact chemical reactor designed for hydrocarbon steam reforming was evaluated. The reactor design is based on diffusion bonded laminate micro-channel heat exchanger technology. The reactor consists of a combustor layer, which is sandwiched between two steam reforming layers. Between the two function layers, a temperature monitor and control layer is placed, which is designed to locate the temperature sensors. The combustor layer has four individually controlled combustion zones each connected to a separate fuel supply. The reactor design offers the potential to accurately control the temperature distribution along the length of the reactor using closed loop temperature control. The experimental results show that the variance of temperature along the reactor is negligible. The conversion efficiency of the combustor layer is approximately 90%. The heat transfer efficiency from combustion layer to reforming layers is 65% to 85% at 873 K and 673 K, respectively. The heat transfer rate to the reforming layers is sufficient to support a steam reformation of propane at a rate of 0.7 dm3/min (STP) with a steam to carbon ratio of 2 at 873 K

A multi-function compact micro-channel reactor coated with sulphur tolerant catalyst for LPG steam reforming

Hydrogen fuelled polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) offer clear environmental benefits. Lack of viable hydrogen infrastructure in the near future means that a key issue is availability of hydrogen at the point of use. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) offers advantages as a fuel over other hydrocarbons because there is already an infrastructure in place for remote areas. Hydrogen supply via steam reforming of LPG is therefore a feasible avenue of achieving the environmental benefits. Commercial grade LPG unavoidably contain sulphur as an odorant, the sulphur needs to be removed from the fuel stream before it reaches the reformer catalyst and fuel cell. Utilizing sulphur tolerant catalysts in the reformer leads to a simpler fuel processor design. Thermal management and reforming efficiency has been a challenge for the sulphur tolerant catalysts. In this paper, a multi-function compact micro-channel reactor designed for hydrocarbon steam reforming was evaluated for use with LPG. A sulphur tolerant catalyst was wash-coated on to the reforming layers. The reformer was tested over a wide range of reactor temperatures, steam to carbon ratios and fuel flow rates. Over 60% of H2 composition can be achieved at high reforming temperatures with a LPG supply rate of 0.75 dm3 min−1 (STP) and a S/C ratio of 4

The consistency of superior face recognition skills in police officers

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in people with superior face recognition skills. Yet identification of these individuals has mostly relied on criterion performance on a single attempt at a single measure of face memory. The current investigation aimed to examine the consistency of superior face recognition skills in 30 police officers, both across tests that tap into the same process and between tests that tap into different components of face processing. Overall indices of performance across related measures were found to identify different superior performers to isolated test scores. Further, different top performers emerged for target‐present versus target‐absent indices, suggesting that signal detection measures are the most useful indicators of performance. Finally, a dissociation was observed between superior memory and matching performance. Super‐recognizer screening programmes should therefore include overall indices summarizing multiple attempts at related tests, allowing for individuals to rank highly on different (and sometimes very specific) tasks

Exercise dose and all-cause mortality within extended cardiac rehabilitation: a cohort study.

AIMS: To investigate the relationship between exercise participation, exercise 'dose' expressed as metabolic equivalent (MET) hours (h) per week, and prognosis in individuals attending an extended, community-based exercise rehabilitation programme. METHODS: Cohort study of 435 participants undertaking exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) in Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK between 1994 and 2006, followed up to 1 November 2013. MET intensity of supervised exercise was estimated utilising serial submaximal exercise test results and corresponding exercise prescriptions. Programme participation was routinely monitored. Cox regression analysis including time-varying and propensity score adjustment was applied to identify predictors of long-term, all-cause mortality across exercise dose and programme duration groups. RESULTS: There were 133 events (31%) during a median follow-up of 14 years (range, 1.2 to 18.9 years). The significant univariate association between exercise dose and all-cause mortality was attenuated following multivariable adjustment for other predictors, including duration in the programme. Longer-term adherence to supervised exercise training (>36 months) was associated with a 33% lower mortality risk (multivariate-adjusted HR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.47 to 0.97; p=0.033) compared with all lesser durations of CR (3, 12, 36 months), even after adjustment for baseline fitness, comorbidities and survivor bias. CONCLUSION: Exercise dose (MET-h per week) appears less important than long-term adherence to supervised exercise for the reduction of long-term mortality risk. Extended, supervised CR programmes within the community may play a key role in promoting long-term exercise maintenance and other secondary prevention therapies for survival benefit

Submaximal fitness and mortality risk reduction in coronary heart disease: a retrospective cohort study of community-based exercise rehabilitation.

To examine the association between submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness (sCRF) and all-cause mortality in a cardiac rehabilitation (CR) cohort.Retrospective cohort study of participants entering CR between 26 May 1993 and 16 October 2006, followed up to 1 November 2013 (median 14 years, range 1.2-19.4 years).A community-based CR exercise programme in Leeds, West Yorkshire, UK.A cohort of 534 men (76%) and 136 women with a clinical diagnosis of coronary heart disease (CHD), aged 22-82 years, attending CR were evaluated for the association between baseline sCRF and all-cause mortality. 416 participants with an exercise test following CR (median 14 weeks) were examined for changes in sCRF and all-cause mortality.All-cause mortality and change in sCRF expressed in estimated metabolic equivalents (METs).Baseline sCRF was a strong predictor of all-cause mortality; compared to the lowest sCRF group (<5 METs for women and <6 METs for men), mortality risk was 41% lower in those with moderate sCRF (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.42 to 0.83) and 60% lower (HR 0.40; 95% CI 0.25 to 0.64) in those with higher sCRF levels (≥7 METs women and ≥8 METs for men). Although improvement in sCRF at 14 weeks was not associated with a significant mortality risk reduction (HR 0.91; 95% CI 0.79 to 1.06) for the whole cohort, in those with the lowest sCRF (and highest all-cause mortality) at baseline, each 1-MET improvement was associated with a 27% age-adjusted reduction in mortality risk (HR 0.73; 95% CI 0.57 to 0.94).Higher baseline sCRF is associated with a reduced risk of all-cause mortality over 14 years in adults with CHD. Improving fitness through exercise-based CR is associated with significant risk reduction for the least fit

The Limits of Super Recognition: An Other-Ethnicity Effect in Individuals with Extraordinary Face Recognition Skills

In the last decade there has been increasing interest in super-recognisers, who have an extraordinary ability to recognise faces. However, it has not yet been investigated whether these individuals are subject to the same biases in face recognition as typical perceivers. The most renowned constraint reported to date is the other-ethnicity effect, whereby people are better at recognizing faces from their own, compared to other, ethnicities. If super recognisers also show this bias, it is possible that they are no better at other-ethnicity face recognition than typical native perceivers – a finding that would have important theoretical and practical implications. In the current study, eight Caucasian super-recognisers performed other-ethnicity tests of face memory and face matching. In Experiment 1, super-recognisers outperformed Caucasian but not Asian controls in their memory for Asian faces. In Experiment 2, a similar pattern emerged in some super-recognisers on a test of face matching. Finally, Experiment 3 examined the consistency of superior other-ethnicity face matching in relation to Caucasian controls, using Arab and Black faces. Only four super-recognisers consistently outperformed controls, and other-ethnicity matching performance was not related to Caucasian face-matching or own- or other-ethnicity face memory. These findings suggest that super-recognisers are subject to the same biases as typical perceivers, and are simply those at the top end of a common face recognition spectrum as opposed to a qualitatively different group of individuals.British Academy Mid-Career Fellowshi

Differential improvements in lipid profiles and Framingham recurrent risk score in patients with and without diabetes mellitus undergoing long-term cardiac rehabilitation.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether lipid profiles and recurrent coronary heart disease (CHD) risk could be modified in patients with and without diabetes mellitus undergoing long-term cardiac rehabilitation (CR). DESIGN: Retrospective analysis of patient case records. SETTING: Community-based phase 4 CR program. PARTICIPANTS: Patients without diabetes (n=154; 89% men; mean ± SD age, 59.6 ± 8.5y; body mass index [BMI], 27.0 ± 3.5 kg/m²) and patients with diabetes (n=20; 81% men; mean age, 63.0 ± 8.7y; BMI, 28.7 ± 3.3 kg/m²) who completed 15 months of CR. INTERVENTIONS: Exercise testing and training, risk profiling, and risk-factor education. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Cardiometabolic risk factors and 2- to 4-year Framingham recurrent CHD risk scores were assessed. RESULTS: At follow up, a significant main effect for time was evident for decreased body mass and waist circumference and improved low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) level and submaximal cardiorespiratory fitness (all P<.05), showing the benefits of CR in both groups. However, a significant group-by-time interaction effect was evident for high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level and total cholesterol (TC)/HDL-C ratio (both P<.05). TC/HDL-C ratio improved (5.0 ± 1.5 to 4.4 ± 1.3) in patients without diabetes, but showed no improvement in patients with diabetes (4.8 ± 1.6 v 4.9 ± 1.6). CONCLUSIONS: We showed that numerous anthropometric, submaximal fitness, and cardiometabolic risk variables (especially LDL-C level) improved significantly after long-term CR. However, some aspects of cardiometabolic risk (measures incorporating TC and HDL-C) improved significantly in only the nondiabetic group