The genome sequence of the lesser marbled fritillary, Brenthis ino, and evidence for a segregating neo-Z chromosome

The lesser marbled fritillary, Brenthis ino (Rottemburg, 1775), is a species of Palearctic butterfly. Male B. ino individuals have been reported to have between 12 and 14 pairs of chromosomes, a much reduced chromosome number than is typical in butterflies. Here we present a chromosome-level genome assembly for B. ino, as well as gene and transposable element annotations. The assembly is 411.8 Mb in span with contig and scaffold N50s of 9.6 and 29.5 Mb respectively. We also show evidence that the male individual from which we generated HiC data was heterozygous for a neo-Z chromosome, consistent with inheriting 14 chromosomes from one parent and 13 from the other. This genome assembly will be a valuable resource for studying chromosome evolution in Lepidoptera, as well as for comparative and population genomics more generally.

Forensic Anthropological Study of Human Remains Attributed to the Apostle James Alphaeus

We present the forensic anthropological study of the relic of the skull of James Alphaeus, which was preserved in the Chapel of the Relics of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela (Spain). The remains consist of skull fragments and another few bones, which are in a state of carbonization and highly fragmented. The results show that the remains belong to a mature adult male individual, and the injuries to the skull were probably produced by a small blunt instrument such as a sword. These results lead us to doubt the identity of the remains.

Investigations on the occurrence of a muscular disorder in Austrian slaughter pigs

Background In slaughterhouse, veterinarians responsible for meat inspection are often confronted with abnormalities in carcasses, not only in pigs but in all livestock species. In 2017, a veterinarian responsible for meat inspection in a slaughterhouse in Styria, Austria, observed gluteal muscles infiltrated by fat and muscle tissue obviously being replaced by fat in two different slaughter pigs. These muscles were sent for further diagnostics to the University Clinic for Swine. Results The two muscle samples were investigated histopathologically and diagnosed with fatty muscular dystrophy. The results of routine histopathology were confirmed by dystrophin-specific immunohistochemistry. Sex of the two affected animals was determined retrospectively using a PCR-based protocol and resulted in one male and one female pig. A survey to determine the prevalence of fatty muscular disorders of pork revealed that this phenomenon gets frequently observed in Styria, but also occurs in Upper Austria and Lower Austria. Mostly gluteal and lumbal muscles were affected and approximately 20–40% of the affected muscles were replaced by fat. Conclusions Fatty muscular dystrophy or muscular steatosis, as it was sometimes called in early literature, seems not to be an uncommon and rare event and is known to have several different causes. As it was detected in both sexes, our observations are different to the described case in Japan, where only one male individual was affected. To avoid further increase of such cases (fatty muscular dystrophy), it would be useful to clarify the cause. First, whether the cause is environmental or genetic, and in case it is genetic it would be key to disentangle the underlying genomic architecture. Having causal variants described—one could think about integrating this information (depending on the mode of inheritance and the number of loci involved) in the breeding program of pigs. Furthermore, the proportion of non-Austrian pig genetics used for commercial pig production in Austria should be reviewed in order to be able to make reliable statements about the spread of the disease not only in Austrian pig breeds, but also in pig breeds worldwide.

Amphithemis vacillans Selys, 1891 (Odonata: Libellulidae): new addition to the Odonata fauna of Meghalaya, Northeastern India

Amphithemis vacillans Selys, 1891 is reported for the first time from Meghalaya, Northeastern India. The authors recorded a male individual from the forest of Byrnihat, located in Ri-bhoi distict of the state on November 23, 2017. The current sighing revised the distribution of this species in India being previously known from Assam and West Bengal.

A new record of odd-scaled snake (Serpentes, Xenodermidae) from Vietnam: expanded description of Parafimbrios vietnamensis based on integrative taxonomy

Based on the combination of molecular and morphological data, we herein report the second known finding of the xenodermid snake species Parafimbrios vietnamensis Ziegler, Ngo, Pham, Nguyen, Le & Nguyen, 2018. The male individual was found in the Yen Bai Province of northwestern Vietnam, more than 200 km from the type locality in Lai Chau Province. Genetic divergence between the newly-collected male and the holotype was low (1.7%), and is in agreement with morphological data that supports that they are conspecific. We give a detailed description of the morphological characters and coloration of the new record and provide an expanded diagnosis of P. vietnamensis. Parafimbrios is a poorly-understood genus, and our recent discovery brings the total number of known specimens of the genus to nine, 1/3 of them having been found in Vietnam (one specimen of P. lao and now two specimens of P. vietnamensis).

Mild Clinical Presentation of Joubert Syndrome in a Male Adult Carrying Biallelic MKS1 Truncating Variants

Pathogenic variants in the MKS1 gene are responsible for a ciliopathy with a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from Meckel and Joubert syndrome (JBTS) to Bardet-Biedl syndrome, and involving the central nervous system, liver, kidney, skeleton, and retina. We report a 39-year-old male individual presenting with isolated Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP), as assessed by full ophthalmological evaluation including Best-Corrected Visual Acuity measurements, fundus examination, Goldmann Visual Field test, and full-field Electroretinography. A clinical exome identified biallelic nonsense variants in MKS1 that prompted post-genotyping investigations for systemic abnormalities of ciliopathy. Brain magnetic resonance imaging revealed malformations of the posterior cranial fossa with the ‘molar tooth sign’ and cerebellar folia dysplasia, which are both distinctive features of JBTS. No other organ or skeletal abnormalities were detected. This case illustrates the power of clinical exome for the identification of the mildest forms of a disease spectrum, such as a mild JBTS with RP in the presented case of an individual carrying biallelic truncating variants in MKS1.

Pre-/Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms of Qanun Defendants: A Case Report

BACKGROUND: Caning sentence has been applied for over a decade which is performed publicly. Given that emotional features of the defendants of the caning sentence occur, psychological symptoms may have emerged. One of the executions for the defendants is whipping practice that resembles military punishment, in which the penalty could have affected their personality pre and post-execution. CASE REPORT: In this report, a 30-year-old married woman was sentenced to Qanun criminal offense in Aceh due to her despicable relationship to a male individual who is also a husband of someone. As the caning regulation stated that the punishment execution must be performed through whipping in public places, the women demonstrated several mental conditions such as anxiety, sleeping disorders, and unmotivated in the last 3 days before execution. CONCLUSION: Caning practice in Aceh is performed by following the guidance from a medical doctor to prevent unexpected physical damage; however, psychological symptoms that could last for several years in the future might have occurred. Thus, a high prevalence of mental disorders has appeared among the defendants.

Socio-Economic Drivers for Farming Households’ Decision to Conserve Nature around Mount Uluguru, Tanzania

Nature conservation means preservation or restoration of the environment and wildlife. The activity is just beyond someone's will; it is highly influenced by socio-economic factors. This study examined the drivers for farming households to conserve the nature around Mount Uluguru in Morogoro, Tanzania. A survey was conducted in five villages around the Arc Uluguru Mountain, and only 106 respondents were randomly selected. To supplement the information, focus group discussions were held with village leaders and environmental committee members in each village who gave their precious information for analysis. Descriptive analysis was done using frequencies, percentage, and mean for examining characteristics of the sampled population, while the binary logistic model was used to analyze the factors that drive farmers to participate in nature conservation. It was found that farming experience, access to support services and awareness in bylaws and regulations increase the chances of participating in environmental conservation amongst the household members. Also, being a male individual and having old age decreases the chances of engagement to nature conservation activities. The study recommends that, in conservation activities, gender roles should be taken into consideration, as anyone can take charge and participate in nature conservation. Furthermore, more training, materials, and equipment are needed from governmental and NGO’s to help nature conservation in Mount Uluguru.