Navigating overgrazing and cultural values through narratives and participatory mapping : a socio-cultural analysis of sheep grazing in the Faroe Islands

Long-term livestock grazing has shaped landscapes, biodiversity, societies, cultures, and economies in the North Atlantic over time. However, overgrazing has become a major environmental sustainability challenge for this region, covering the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Scotland. The objective of this study was to elicit narratives and spatial patterns of local people's management preferences for sheep grazing in the Faroe Islands through a socio-cultural lens. We collected data via a Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) survey with an open question about hopes and concerns for sheep management in the Faroe Islands and a mapping exercise for expressing spatial preferences for sheep management. Four distinct narratives emerged from a qualitative analysis of responses to the open question (n = 184): (1) Sustainable sheep management, (2) Nature without sheep, (3) Sheep as part of Faroese culture, and (4) Sheep as nuisance. Visual inspection of narrative-specific maps with locations where either no or fewer sheep were preferred indicated that sheep management is not simply a 'sheep vs. no sheep' issue but embedded in a more nuanced consideration of the place of sheep in the landscape and society. For example, for some residents sheep-farming is not a commercial enterprise but a social activity and local source of food. Our combined methodological approach using qualitative and spatial data can help researchers in other fields identify the interplay between place-specific areas of grazing management concern and socio-cultural values, enabling more targeted land-use management policies or plans.Peer reviewe

Navigating overgrazing and cultural values through narratives and participatory mapping: a socio-cultural analysis of sheep grazing in the Faroe Islands

Long-term livestock grazing has shaped landscapes, biodiversity, societies, cultures, and economies in the North Atlantic over time. However, overgrazing has become a major environmental sustainability challenge for this region, covering the Faroe Islands, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Scotland. The objective of this study was to elicit narratives and spatial patterns of local people's management preferences for sheep grazing in the Faroe Islands through a socio-cultural lens. We collected data via a Public Participation Geographic Information Systems (PPGIS) survey with an open question about hopes and concerns for sheep management in the Faroe Islands and a mapping exercise for expressing spatial preferences for sheep management. Four distinct narratives emerged from a qualitative analysis of responses to the open question (n = 184): (1) Sustainable sheep management, (2) Nature without sheep, (3) Sheep as part of Faroese culture, and (4) Sheep as nuisance. Visual inspection of narrative-specific maps with locations where either no or fewer sheep were preferred indicated that sheep management is not simply a 'sheep vs. no sheep' issue but embedded in a more nuanced consideration of the place of sheep in the landscape and society. For example, for some residents sheep-farming is not a commercial enterprise but a social activity and local source of food. Our combined methodological approach using qualitative and spatial data can help researchers in other fields identify the interplay between place-specific areas of grazing management concern and socio-cultural values, enabling more targeted land-use management policies or plans

A sequence variant at 4p16.3 confers susceptibility to urinary bladder cancer

To access publisher full text version of this article. Please click on the hyperlink in Additional Links fieldPreviously, we reported germline DNA variants associated with risk of urinary bladder cancer (UBC) in Dutch and Icelandic subjects. Here we expanded the Icelandic sample set and tested the top 20 markers from the combined analysis in several European case-control sample sets, with a total of 4,739 cases and 45,549 controls. The T allele of rs798766 on 4p16.3 was found to associate with UBC (odds ratio = 1.24, P = 9.9 x 10(-12)). rs798766 is located in an intron of TACC3, 70 kb from FGFR3, which often harbors activating somatic mutations in low-grade, noninvasive UBC. Notably, rs798766[T] shows stronger association with low-grade and low-stage UBC than with more aggressive forms of the disease and is associated with higher risk of recurrence in low-grade stage Ta tumors. The frequency of rs798766[T] is higher in Ta tumors that carry an activating mutation in FGFR3 than in Ta tumors with wild-type FGFR3. Our results show a link between germline variants, somatic mutations of FGFR3 and risk of UBC.info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/EC/FP7/21807

The Statistical analyzer

Verkefnið er opið frá og með 01.07.2010This dissertation outlines the work made while doing this final year project. This is a web-based expert system which looks for patterns of faults in a golfer’s statistics. A Standardized Statistical Form was made to have the inputted statistics in the same format. A database with the ability to take in all necessary information for the statistical form and the recommendation inside were made. The system scans the golfer’s statistics to spot errors in his game and gives him recommendations on how to improve

Grunnskólar Akureyrar : aðstaða til íþróttakennslu

Verkefnið er lokað til 31.12.2013.Á undanförnum áratugum hafa gríðarlegar breytingar átt sér stað á lífsstíl fólks í hinum vestræna heimi. Hreyfingarleysi og breytt mataræði valda miklum vanda fyrir heilbrigðiskerfið. Ósmitnæmir sjúkdómar sem tengdir eru lífsstíl munu sliga fjárhagslega best stæðu ríki heims ef ekki verður gripið til róttækra ráðstafana. Í þessari rannsóknarritgerð er athyglinni beint að aðstöðu grunnskólanna á Akureyri til íþróttakennslu. Úttekt á aðstæðum hvers skóla var framkvæmd af höfundi og spurningalisti um vinnuaðstæður lagður fyrir einn íþróttakennara úr hverjum grunnskóla bæjarins. Jafnframt er greint frá fjórum rannsóknum og fræðigreinum sem allar fjalla um lýðheilsu og þróun hennar á Íslandi síðustu áratugi. Vandlega er gerð grein fyrir þeim kröfum sem ný aðalnámskrá í íþróttum gerir til skóla, íþróttakennara, nemenda og ekki síst þeirrar aðstöðu sem til staðar þarf að vera. Megin rannsóknarspurning ritgerðarinnar er hvort grunnskólunum á Akureyri er mögulegt að framfylgja leiðarvísi aðalnámskrár miðað við þær aðstæður sem þeir búa við. Jafnframt er kannað hvort skólarnir uppfylli viðmið aðalnámskrár um kennslustundafjölda. Niðurstaða rannsóknarinnar er afdráttarlaus. Mikill aðstöðumunur er á milli skólanna til íþróttakennslu og aðstæður íþróttakennara til að uppfylla hæfnisviðmið aðalnámskrár eru mjög misjafnar. Staðfest var af íþróttafulltrúa Akureyrarbæjar og deildarstjóra Menntamálaráðuneytis að engar viðmiðunarreglur eru til um lágmarksaðstöðu og áhöld til íþróttakennslu og skólayfirvöld á Akureyri hafa engar samræmdar reglur um jafnan aðbúnað skólanna hvað varðar íþróttakennsluna. Í öllum rannsóknum og fræðigreinum sem greint er frá í ritgerðinni eru allar tillögur til mótvægisaðgerða á sama veg. Auka þarf vægi skipulagðra íþróttatíma í skólum og auka fræðslu um mataræði og afleiðingar hreyfingarleysis. Lýðgrundaðar aðgerðir eru óhjákvæmilegar og skólakerfið þarf að virkja gegn auknu hreyfingarleysi barna og ungmenna.In the last decades there have been drastic lifestyle changes in the western world. Changes in diet and lack of exercise have created huge problems for the healthcare system. Non- transmissible diseases related to lifestyle will financially cripple nations that are among the economically strongest in the world today, if extreme measures are not taken. In this thesis the focus is on the facilities that are provided for the elementary schools in Akureyri to teach physical education. The author researched the facilities in every school and one P.E. teacher in each school answered a questionnaire about their working environment. Furthermore, five studies and papers are mentioned and they all focus on development in public health in Iceland in the last decades. The demands that the new curriculum in physical education puts on schools, teachers and students is thoroughly examined as well as required facilities. The thesis‘ main research question is whether it is possible for elementary schools in Akureyri to follow the guidelines of the new curriculum, considering their currently available facilities. Furthermore, it is investigated if the schools teach the recommended amount of P.E. classes. The conclusion is clear. There is a big difference in facilities to teach physical education between schools in Akureyri and the possibilities for teachers to meet the requirements of the curriculum are very different. It was confirmed by the administrator of sports in Akureyri and concurred by The Ministry of Education that there are no official guidelines or regulations on how facilities and equipment to teach P.E. should be. Educational authorities in Akureyri have no coordinated rules on equal facilities for physical education in their schools. All the researches and papers mentioned in the thesis come to the same conclusion and propose actions to counteract. The importance of organized physical education in schools is recognized as is the need to educate students about diet and the consequences of lack of exercise

Réttmæti sjálfsákvörðunarréttar til dánaraðstoðar: Að fá að stjórna þínum dauða

Í þessari ritgerð mun ég skoða dánaraðstoð bæði almennt og hvernig henni er háttað í þeim löndum sem hún er lögleg. Ég ætla skoða mismunandi týpur af dánaraðstoð og mismunandi skilyrði fyrir því að sjúklingar fái þá þjónustu. Ég ætla skoða hvaða áhrif sjálfsákvörðunarrétturinn hefur á dánaraðstoð og þá hvað hamlar því að hann sé fullnægjandi skilyrði dánaraðstoðar. Ég skilgreini dánaraðstoð og mismun á milli gerða hennar og skilyrði og skilgreiningu dauðans í tengslum við dánaraðstoð. Ég ætla skoða hvernig mismunandi gæði heilbrigðisþjónustu hefur áhrif á umræðu um dánaraðstoð. Einnig verður skoðað hvernig stéttaskipulag og ójafnrétti getur haft áhrif á dánaraðstoð og þá sérstaklega í tengslum við hver kostnaðurinn er við þjónustuna og hver borgar hana. Í ritgerðinni verður fjallað um þau lönd þar sem dánaraðstoð er lögleg og hver lögin og verkferlarnir eru þar. Einnig verður því fjallað um hvort lögin og verkferlarnir eru réttlætanlegir og hvort þeim reglum sé fylgt í raun. Það verður fjallað um þau siðferðislegu álitamál sem koma upp ef lönd fylgja ekki þeim lögum sem eru til staðar. Ég ætla að skilgreina tilvistarþjáningu og fjalla um ástæður og aðstæður þess fólks sem upplifir hana. Einnig ætla ég að fjalla um hvort tilvistarþjáning eigi stað í réttmæti dánaraðstoðar og svo hvort það sé einhver tenging á milli sjálfsákvörðunarréttarins og tilvistarþjáningar. Ég mun skoða vandann við að meta tilvistarþjáningu í tengslum við dánaraðstoð

Initial results from the ICEMELT Experiment: Body-wave delay times and shear-wave splitting across Iceland

We present results from the first stage of the ICEMELT broadband seismometer experiment designed to determine upper mantle structure beneath Iceland, a hotspot located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Relative delays of teleseismic body waves across Iceland are in excess of l s for P waves and as large as 3 s for S waves. The patterns of P and S wave delays suggest a low-velocity anomaly in the upper few hundred kilometers beneath central Iceland, consistent with the signature of mantle upwelling beneath a hotspot. Shear-wave splitting measurements of the fast polarization direction ϕ and the delay time δt between the fast and slow shear waves have been obtained at several network stations. Splitting times range from 0.7 to 1.7 s, and fast directions are generally between N20°W and N45°W. While splitting times of this magnitude must be primarily signatures of the anisotropy of the Icelandic upper mantle, the directions of fast polarization are inconsistent with simple models of horizontally diverging flow either in the plate spreading direction or radially from the center of the hotspot. A hypothesis consistent with splitting data obtained to date is that the dominant contribution to upper mantle anisotropy is from the large-scale mantle flow field of the North Atlantic.National Science Foundation (USA): EAR-9316137Peer Reviewe

Þarmadrepsbólga nýbura á Íslandi

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenAll cases of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in Iceland in 1976-1991 were reviewed. The diagnosis was searched for in the records of the departments of neonatology and pathology. The records of the 23 cases retrieved were all reviewed by the authors. Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in Iceland appeared as five sporadic cases in 1976-1985 and an epidemic of 18 cases in 1987-1990. This corresponds to an incidence of 0.12% in neonates in Iceland in the former period and 1% during the period of the epidemic. In this group of patients there were nine boys and 14 girls, with an average birthweight of 2266 gm (range 530-4286) and a gestational age of 33.7 weeks (range 24-42). Two (9%) had severe congenital malformations. Various pregnancy complications were found, including maternal preeclampsia, essential hypertension, diabetes, fever, urinary tract infection and early rupture of membranes. The placental histology had been studied in 10 cases, and 80% of these revealed abnormalities, i.e. significant degenerative changes, infarcts or acute inflammation. The average postnatal age at diagnosis was 8.7 days (range 1-26), 10 days for the five sporadic cases and 8.3 days during the epidemic. Conventional risk factors identified included oral feedings (87%), prematurity (70%), perinatal hypoxia (61%), acute Cesarean-section (48%), respiratory distress (43%) and an umbilical catheterization (43%). The most common clinical signs in this group of patients were bloody stools (70%), silent abdomen (57%), vomiting (52%) and abdominal distention (43%). The X-ray signs included thick-walled intestines (86%), intestinal pneumatosis (76%), dilated intestinal loops (71%) and fluid (52%) or gas (29%) in the peritoneal cavity. Bacterial cultures, taken from various sites at diagnosis of the disease in 21 children, revealed bacterial growth in 15 of the 52 specimens, but these were considered non-significant and there was no evidence of lateral spread. The total survival was 60% in the first 10 years and had improved to 78% in the last six years. Medical treatment only was successful in 12 of 13 cases. Acute surgical resection, because of intestinal perforation, was done in five patients, four of whom survived. Late surgical resection, because of secondary colonic stenosis, was done in one patient. It is concluded that neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis is a serious disease, affecting especially neonates that are premature and have been subjected to perinatal hypoxia. The interaction of perinatal hypoxia and oral feedings seems to predispose these babies to the mucosal damage that initiates the course of events leading to necrosis of the intestinal wall. The epidemiology of this disease in Iceland seems similar to that reported in other studies. Increased awareness has lead to earlier diagnosis.Gerð var afturskyggn rannsókn á bráðri þarmadrepsbólgu nýbura (neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis) á Íslandi árin 1976-1991. Tilfellanna var leitað í sjúkdómaskrám Barnaspítala Hringsins, Rannsóknastofu Háskólans við Barónsstíg og barnadeildar Fjórðungssjúkrahússins á Akureyri. Á þann hátt fundust sjúkraskrár 23 nýbura og voru þær allar endurskoðaðar, en einnig allar vefjasneiðar úr görnum og röntgenmyndir af kviðarholi. Talið er að sjúkraskrár allra nýbura, sem fengu þessa greiningu á umræddu tímabili á Íslandi, hafi verið athugaðar. Sjúkdómurinn birtist sem fimm stök tilfelli árin 1976-1985, en sem faraldur 18 tilfella árin 1987-1990. Þetta svarar til nýgengisins 0,12% meðal nýbura á Íslandi fyrra tímabilið og 1% síðara tímabilið. Í erlendum rannsóknum, sem vitnað er til, er nýgengi á bilinu 1-1,3%. Í íslenska sjúklingahópnum voru níu drengir og 14 stúlkur. Þar af voru 16 fyrirburar (70%), en tvö börn höfðu meðfæddan vanskapnað. Afbrigði og sjúkdómar á meðgöngutíma höfðu greinst hjá 19 mæðranna og sjúklegar breytingar fundust í átta af þeim 10 fylgjum sem rannsakaðar voru. Aldur barnanna við greiningu á þarmadrepsbólgu var að meðaltali 8,7 dagar og helstu sjúkdómsteikn voru blóð í hægðum, ælur, þaninn kviður og bjúgur í kviðvegg. Yfirlitsmyndir af kviðarholi sýndu þykkveggja garnir, loftbólur í garnavegg, útvíkkaðar garnalykkjur og vökva eða loft í kviðarholi. Þrettán börn fengu lyfjameðferð. Bráð skurðaðgerð vegna garnarofs var gerð hjá sex börnum, en aðgerð vegna síðkominna garnaþrengsla var gerð hjá einu barni. Hjá þremur börnum á fyrra tímabilinu greindist sjúkdómurinn ekki fyrr en við krufningu. Lifun var 60% fyrra tímabilið og 78% síðara tímabilið. Höfundar telja að árangur meðferðarinnar hér á landi sé viðunandi. Könnun á hugsanlegum orsakaþáttum sjúkdómsins leiddi í ljós tengsl við meðgöngualdur styttri en 37 vikur (70%), bráðan keisaraskurð (48%), súrefnisskort við burðarmál (61%), andnauð eftir fæðingu (43%), legg í naflastrengsæð (43%) og næringu um munn (87%). Ekki virtist skipta máli hvaða næring börnunum hafði verið gefin. Höfundar telja að betur þurfi að kanna áhrif mismunandi aðferða við fæðugjöf. Í faraldrinum 1987-1990 þótti það eftirtektarvert að sjö af átján börnum veiktust meðan þau lágu á deild með öðrum nýburum, sem þegar höfðu fengið þarmadrepsbólgu. Bakteríuræktanir gáfu hins vegar ekki til kynna að um smitsjúkdóm væri að ræða. Samspil þriggja orsakaþátta, fyrirburðar, súrefnisskorts við burðarmál og næringar um munn, virðist vera það sem mestu máli skiptir í orsakafræði sjúkdómsiris hér á landi

Þarmadrepsbólga nýbura á Íslandi

Neðst á síðunni er hægt að nálgast greinina í heild sinni með því að smella á hlekkinn View/OpenAll cases of neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in Iceland in 1976-1991 were reviewed. The diagnosis was searched for in the records of the departments of neonatology and pathology. The records of the 23 cases retrieved were all reviewed by the authors. Neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis in Iceland appeared as five sporadic cases in 1976-1985 and an epidemic of 18 cases in 1987-1990. This corresponds to an incidence of 0.12% in neonates in Iceland in the former period and 1% during the period of the epidemic. In this group of patients there were nine boys and 14 girls, with an average birthweight of 2266 gm (range 530-4286) and a gestational age of 33.7 weeks (range 24-42). Two (9%) had severe congenital malformations. Various pregnancy complications were found, including maternal preeclampsia, essential hypertension, diabetes, fever, urinary tract infection and early rupture of membranes. The placental histology had been studied in 10 cases, and 80% of these revealed abnormalities, i.e. significant degenerative changes, infarcts or acute inflammation. The average postnatal age at diagnosis was 8.7 days (range 1-26), 10 days for the five sporadic cases and 8.3 days during the epidemic. Conventional risk factors identified included oral feedings (87%), prematurity (70%), perinatal hypoxia (61%), acute Cesarean-section (48%), respiratory distress (43%) and an umbilical catheterization (43%). The most common clinical signs in this group of patients were bloody stools (70%), silent abdomen (57%), vomiting (52%) and abdominal distention (43%). The X-ray signs included thick-walled intestines (86%), intestinal pneumatosis (76%), dilated intestinal loops (71%) and fluid (52%) or gas (29%) in the peritoneal cavity. Bacterial cultures, taken from various sites at diagnosis of the disease in 21 children, revealed bacterial growth in 15 of the 52 specimens, but these were considered non-significant and there was no evidence of lateral spread. The total survival was 60% in the first 10 years and had improved to 78% in the last six years. Medical treatment only was successful in 12 of 13 cases. Acute surgical resection, because of intestinal perforation, was done in five patients, four of whom survived. Late surgical resection, because of secondary colonic stenosis, was done in one patient. It is concluded that neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis is a serious disease, affecting especially neonates that are premature and have been subjected to perinatal hypoxia. The interaction of perinatal hypoxia and oral feedings seems to predispose these babies to the mucosal damage that initiates the course of events leading to necrosis of the intestinal wall. The epidemiology of this disease in Iceland seems similar to that reported in other studies. Increased awareness has lead to earlier diagnosis.Gerð var afturskyggn rannsókn á bráðri þarmadrepsbólgu nýbura (neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis) á Íslandi árin 1976-1991. Tilfellanna var leitað í sjúkdómaskrám Barnaspítala Hringsins, Rannsóknastofu Háskólans við Barónsstíg og barnadeildar Fjórðungssjúkrahússins á Akureyri. Á þann hátt fundust sjúkraskrár 23 nýbura og voru þær allar endurskoðaðar, en einnig allar vefjasneiðar úr görnum og röntgenmyndir af kviðarholi. Talið er að sjúkraskrár allra nýbura, sem fengu þessa greiningu á umræddu tímabili á Íslandi, hafi verið athugaðar. Sjúkdómurinn birtist sem fimm stök tilfelli árin 1976-1985, en sem faraldur 18 tilfella árin 1987-1990. Þetta svarar til nýgengisins 0,12% meðal nýbura á Íslandi fyrra tímabilið og 1% síðara tímabilið. Í erlendum rannsóknum, sem vitnað er til, er nýgengi á bilinu 1-1,3%. Í íslenska sjúklingahópnum voru níu drengir og 14 stúlkur. Þar af voru 16 fyrirburar (70%), en tvö börn höfðu meðfæddan vanskapnað. Afbrigði og sjúkdómar á meðgöngutíma höfðu greinst hjá 19 mæðranna og sjúklegar breytingar fundust í átta af þeim 10 fylgjum sem rannsakaðar voru. Aldur barnanna við greiningu á þarmadrepsbólgu var að meðaltali 8,7 dagar og helstu sjúkdómsteikn voru blóð í hægðum, ælur, þaninn kviður og bjúgur í kviðvegg. Yfirlitsmyndir af kviðarholi sýndu þykkveggja garnir, loftbólur í garnavegg, útvíkkaðar garnalykkjur og vökva eða loft í kviðarholi. Þrettán börn fengu lyfjameðferð. Bráð skurðaðgerð vegna garnarofs var gerð hjá sex börnum, en aðgerð vegna síðkominna garnaþrengsla var gerð hjá einu barni. Hjá þremur börnum á fyrra tímabilinu greindist sjúkdómurinn ekki fyrr en við krufningu. Lifun var 60% fyrra tímabilið og 78% síðara tímabilið. Höfundar telja að árangur meðferðarinnar hér á landi sé viðunandi. Könnun á hugsanlegum orsakaþáttum sjúkdómsins leiddi í ljós tengsl við meðgöngualdur styttri en 37 vikur (70%), bráðan keisaraskurð (48%), súrefnisskort við burðarmál (61%), andnauð eftir fæðingu (43%), legg í naflastrengsæð (43%) og næringu um munn (87%). Ekki virtist skipta máli hvaða næring börnunum hafði verið gefin. Höfundar telja að betur þurfi að kanna áhrif mismunandi aðferða við fæðugjöf. Í faraldrinum 1987-1990 þótti það eftirtektarvert að sjö af átján börnum veiktust meðan þau lágu á deild með öðrum nýburum, sem þegar höfðu fengið þarmadrepsbólgu. Bakteríuræktanir gáfu hins vegar ekki til kynna að um smitsjúkdóm væri að ræða. Samspil þriggja orsakaþátta, fyrirburðar, súrefnisskorts við burðarmál og næringar um munn, virðist vera það sem mestu máli skiptir í orsakafræði sjúkdómsiris hér á landi

Effect of sequence variants on variance in glucose levels predicts type 2 diabetes risk and accounts for heritability.

To access publisher's full text version of this article click on the hyperlink belowSequence variants that affect mean fasting glucose levels do not necessarily affect risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D). We assessed the effects of 36 reported glucose-associated sequence variants on between- and within-subject variance in fasting glucose levels in 69,142 Icelanders. The variant in TCF7L2 that increases fasting glucose levels increases between-subject variance (5.7% per allele, P = 4.2 × 10(-10)), whereas variants in GCK and G6PC2 that increase fasting glucose levels decrease between-subject variance (7.5% per allele, P = 4.9 × 10(-11) and 7.3% per allele, P = 7.5 × 10(-18), respectively). Variants that increase mean and between-subject variance in fasting glucose levels tend to increase T2D risk, whereas those that increase the mean but reduce variance do not (r(2) = 0.61). The variants that increase between-subject variance increase fasting glucose heritability estimates. Intuitively, our results show that increasing the mean and variance of glucose levels is more likely to cause pathologically high glucose levels than increase in the mean offset by a decrease in variance.NRCI Research Project National Research Council of the Islamic Republic of Ira