A Review of the Occurrence of Bats (Chiroptera) on Islands in the North East Atlantic and on North Sea Installations

The bats recorded from Iceland, the Faroe Islands, the Shetland Islands, the Orkney Islands, and North Sea installations are reviewed to the end of 2012. In total 12 species have been positively identified, while a considerable proportion of all records are sightings of unidentified bats. Eight of the species are European in origin and four originate from the New World. The largest number of species (8) has been recorded in Iceland, but the greatest number of individuals (180) has been found in Orkney. The bat invasion on the Faroe Islands in 2010 is without precedence, when 70 observations of a minimum of 45 individuals were noted. Most bat observations in the study area occurred in the autumn, with fewer in the spring. Most observations were of single animals, but there were also sightings of up to 12 individuals. There has been a marked increase in bat records in the past three decades. We discuss whether this is a real increase, or due to improved communications, increased public awareness, increased shipping, changes in weather patterns and/or the effects of climate change. All factors appear to be involved.© Museum and Institute of Zoology PAS. The attached document is the author(’s’) final accepted/submitted version of the journal article. You are advised to consult the publisher’s version if you wish to cite from it

Discovery and functional prioritization of Parkinson's disease candidate genes from large-scale whole exome sequencing.

BACKGROUND: Whole-exome sequencing (WES) has been successful in identifying genes that cause familial Parkinson's disease (PD). However, until now this approach has not been deployed to study large cohorts of unrelated participants. To discover rare PD susceptibility variants, we performed WES in 1148 unrelated cases and 503 control participants. Candidate genes were subsequently validated for functions relevant to PD based on parallel RNA-interference (RNAi) screens in human cell culture and Drosophila and C. elegans models. RESULTS: Assuming autosomal recessive inheritance, we identify 27 genes that have homozygous or compound heterozygous loss-of-function variants in PD cases. Definitive replication and confirmation of these findings were hindered by potential heterogeneity and by the rarity of the implicated alleles. We therefore looked for potential genetic interactions with established PD mechanisms. Following RNAi-mediated knockdown, 15 of the genes modulated mitochondrial dynamics in human neuronal cultures and four candidates enhanced α-synuclein-induced neurodegeneration in Drosophila. Based on complementary analyses in independent human datasets, five functionally validated genes-GPATCH2L, UHRF1BP1L, PTPRH, ARSB, and VPS13C-also showed evidence consistent with genetic replication. CONCLUSIONS: By integrating human genetic and functional evidence, we identify several PD susceptibility gene candidates for further investigation. Our approach highlights a powerful experimental strategy with broad applicability for future studies of disorders with complex genetic etiologies

Fall Kaupþings Banka hf. : hefði mátt koma í veg fyrir fall bankans?

Verkefnið er lokaðAðalmarkmið þessarar rannsóknar er fall Kaupþings Banka hf. Bankinn var til margra ára eitt farsælasta og arðsamasta fyrirtækið á Íslandi. Á árinu 2008 horfðist allt evrópska bankakerfið, þ.m.t. hið íslenska, í augu við eina verstu fjármálakreppu sem sést hafði í langan tíma. Uppruni kreppunnar var helst tilkominn vegna lausafjárvandræða þar sem að heildsölulánamarkaðir nánast lokuðust á nokkurra mánaða tímabili. Eftir fall Kaupþings Banka hf. hafa verið miklar umræður og vangaveltur um raunverulega stöðu og árangur bankans. Þessi umræða hefur að miklu leyti verið keyrð áfram á þráhyggju og reiði fólks sem vill helst af öllu beina öllum spjótum að mögulegum veikleikum Kaupþings Banka hf. frekar en að reyna að gera sér í hugarlund hvað var vel gert og skilaði miklum árangri. Þegar að fólk gagnrýnir Kaupþing Banka hf. þá eru nokkur atriði sem þarf að taka tillit til. Fyrirtækið var tiltölulega ungt fyrirtæki sem byggt hafði verið upp af nokkrum frumkvöðlum sem voru snjallir að nýta sér tækifæri sem fjármálamarkaðir höfðu að geyma sem aðrir sáu ekki. Ástæða þess að höfundur valdi þetta rannsóknarefni var fyrst og fremst áhugi á fjármálaumhverfinu og sú skoðun höfundar að Kaupþing Banki hf. hafi verið eitt merkilegasta fyrirtæki sem byggt hefur verið upp á Íslandi, þrátt fyrir súran endi. Helstu niðurstöður rannsóknarinnar eru þær að Kaupþing Banki hf. hafi ekki verið í verri stöðu en aðrir sambærilegar bankar um allan heim. Með smá heppni og meiri tíma til að endurskipuleggja landfræðilega skipan fyrirtækisins og dótturfélaga hefði verið góður möguleiki á að fyrirtækið hefði lifað fallið af og væri til í dag, þrátt fyrir aðgerðir Breta. Lykilhugtök • Neyðarlán / þrautavaralán • Seðlabankar • Fjárhagslegur styrkur • Vöxtur • Yfirvöl

Late Weichselian history of relative sea level changes in Iceland during a collapse and subsequent retreat of marine based ice sheet

At the Last Glacial Maximum, Iceland was covered by an ice sheet more than 2000 m thick reaching as far as the shelf break. Rapid deglaciation, controlled by rising global sea level, started between 18.6 and 15.0 cal kyrs BP. In Bølling times, between 15.0 and 14.7 cal kyrs BP, the marine based part of the ice sheet collapsed and glaciers retreated inside the present coastline. At that time Marine Limit (ML) shorelines at very high altitudes were formed. Due to low viscosity of the mantel underneath Iceland, isostatic recovery was very rapid and there is a clear link between deglaciation, glacial unloading and volcanic activity. Following climatic deterioration the ice sheet re-advanced during the Younger Dryas, between 13.8 and 12.0 cal kyrs BP. The advance was terminated near the present coastline as distinct shorelines at lower altitudes than before were formed. In Early Preboreal times, about 11.2 cal kyrs BP, the ice sheet re-advanced once again and a new set of distinct shorelines was formed, at still lower altitudes than before. After that the ice sheet retreated rapidly and relative sea level fell towards and eventually below present sea level, reaching a minimum at -44 m at about 10.0 cal kyrs BP. At about 8.7 cal kyrs BP the ice sheet had disintegrated into individual icecaps of similar extent as the present glaciers.A finales del Último Máximo Glacial, Islandia estaba cubierta por una capa de hielo de más de 2000 m de espesor, llegando hasta la ruptura de la plataforma continental. Una deglaciación rápida, controlada por el ascenso global del nivel del mar, comenzó entre 18,6 y 15,0 cal kyrs BP. Durante el Bølling, entre 15,0 y 14,7 cal kyrs BP, la parte marina del manto de hielo colapsó y los glaciares se retiraron al interior de la actual línea de costa. En ese momento se formaron líneas de playa correspondientes al Límite Marino a elevadas alturas. Debido a la baja viscosidad del manto por debajo de Islandia, la recuperación isostática fue muy rápida, de manera que hay una estrecha relación entre deglaciación, descarga glacial y actividad volcánica. Después del deterioro climático, la capa de hielo experimentó un reavance durante el Younger Dryas, entre 13,8 y 12,0 cal kyrs BP. El avance terminó cerca de la costa actual, pues se formaron distintas líneas de playa a menores alturas que las anteriores. A comienzos del Preboreal, hacia 11,2 cal kyrs BP, la capa de hielo tuvo un nuevo reavance, formándose un nuevo conjunto de líneas de costa, a alturas todavía inferiores que las anteriores. Después el hielo se retiró rápidamente y el nivel del mar relativo cayó hasta e incluso por debajo de actual nivel del mar, alcanzando un mínimo de -44 m hacia 10,0 cal kyrs BP. Hacia 8,7 cal kyrs BP el manto de hielo se desintegró en casquetes individuales de extensión similar a los actuales glaciares

Statin prescribing according to gender, age and indication: what about the benefit-risk balance?

Rationales, aims and objectives The increasing dispensing of statins has raised concern about the appropriateness of prescribing to various population groups. We aimed to (1) investigate incident and prevalent statin prescribing according to indication, gender and age and (2) relate prescribing patterns to evidence on beneficial and adverse effects. Methods A cohort of Danish inhabitants (n = 4 424 818) was followed in nationwide registries for dispensed statin prescriptions and hospital discharge information. We calculated incidence rates (2005–2009), prevalence trends (2000–2010) and absolute numbers of statin users according to register proxies for indication, gender and age. Results In 2010, the prevalence became highest for ages 75–84 and was higher in men than women (37% and 33%, respectively). Indication‐specific incidences and prevalences peaked at ages around 65–70, but in myocardial infarction, the prevalence was about 80% at ages 45–80. Particularly, incidences tended to be lower in women until ages of about 60 where after gender differences were negligible. In asymptomatic individuals (hypercholesterolaemia, presumably only indication) aged 50+, dispensing was highest in women. The fraction of statin dispensing for primary prevention decreased with age: higher for incident than prevalent prescribing. Independent of age, this fraction was highest among women, e.g. 60% versus 45% at ages 55–64. The fraction for potential atherosclerotic condition (PAC, e.g. heart failure) increased with age. Conclusion Prevalence of statin utilization was highest for ages 75–84, although indication‐specific measures were relatively low. Despite inconclusive evidence for a favourable risk–benefit balance, statin prescribing was high among people aged 80+, asymptomatic women and PAC patients

Biological information on samples of Maurolicus muelleri and other species collected during the B3-2010 cruise and during the experimental fishery 2009-2011

These data contain biological information (length, weight, age) on samples of Maurolicus muelleri and other species (bycatch) collected respectively during R/V Bjarni Sæmundsson cruise B3-2010 southwest of Iceland (period 2010-01-26/2010-02-04) and from catches in experimental and commercial pearlside fishery in 2009-2011. Fishery vessels IDs are randomized except for Bjarni Sæmundsson (vessel_id 1131). The randomized IDs are the same as in the associated files (Maurolicus_muelleri NASC value survey B3-2010 and Experimental fisheries catches) distributed along with this data set. Trawl specification (mostly modified capelin trawls) such as horizontal and vertical openings, tow depth, tow length, sweep length and mesh size were recorded. Standard weather conditions are also mentioned (wind speed and direction, cloud cover and sea state)