Genealogical History Research Articles

GENETIC AND ENVIRONMENTAL COMPONENTS IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF DYSMETABOLIC NEPHROPATHY WITH OXALATE-CALCIUM CRYSTALLURIA

Introduction. In recent years, the prevalence of dysmetabolic nephropathies (DN) in children has been increasing, constituting a significant portion of the overall structure of kidney diseases in this age group. Aim. To elucidate the role of genetic and epigenetic components in the pathogenesis of dysmetabolic nephropathy with oxalate-calcium crystalluria in children using the methods of G. Edwards and D. Falconer. Materials and methods. A genealogical history was collected for 108 children aged 6 to 18 years with dysmetabolic nephropathy and 65 healthy children from the Ivano-Frankivsk region. Data were collected on 1076 relatives of affected children of I-II-III degrees of relatedness and 676 relatives of healthy children. Calculation of the contribution of genetic and environmental factors to the occurrence of multifactorial diseases in children was carried out using the model proposed by G. Edwards and G. Smith, and the heritability coefficient for susceptibility to these diseases was calculated using D. Falconer's model. Results and discussion. In the pathogenesis of dysmetabolic nephropathy in children, the genetic component plays a significant role, being 2-3 times greater than in the general population. The heritability coefficient for susceptibility to dysmetabolic nephropathy is very high: for first-degree relatives of affected children – 24%, for second-degree relatives – 20.9%, and for third-degree relatives, it does not differ from the population average – 3.6%. Conclusions. 1. If a family has a child with dysmetabolic nephropathy or a relative with metabolic pathology, the risk of dysmetabolic nephropathy in the second child is higher according to the G. Edward's and G. Smith's models is very high – 36.76% and 48.81%. 2. For relatives of sick children of the first degree of consanguinity, the inheritance rate of predisposition to dysmetabolic nephropathy is very high – 24% and 22%, respectively, in the observation groups and does not depend on the variant of the course of dysmetabolic nephropathy, nor on who is sick – parents or siblings. 3. The risk of having dysmetabolic nephropathy for relatives of the second degree of consanguinity of children with dysmetabolic nephropathy is also quite high – 20.9%. For relatives of the third degree – 3.6%.

Narrative as a Form of Applied History

Abstract Narrative is a fundamental form of historical thinking. As such, narrative is a representational framework through which real events can be ordered into simplified temporal sequences unfolding within historical settings, driven by the interaction of historical personages or collective entities such as nations or classes. These insights, however, are yet to be fully incorporated within the field of applied history, which could profit from a closer consideration of narrative as a concrete manifestation of what has been termed genealogical or processual history. Like the historical analogy, which has been the focus of much research, narrative has the potential to fruitfully make connections between past and present events, but also to misapply history for propagandistic purposes. To address these issues, this article presents a methodological model whose usefulness is demonstrated in two case studies, together with guidelines for how a narrative perspective could inspire future applied history research.

MalKinID: A Likelihood-Based Model for Identifying Malaria Parasite Genealogical Relationships Using Identity-by-Descent.

Pathogen genomics is a powerful tool for tracking infectious disease transmission. In malaria, identity-by-descent (IBD) is used to assess the genetic relatedness between parasites and has been used to study transmission and importation. In theory, IBD can be used to distinguish genealogical relationships to reconstruct transmission history or identify parasites for genotype-to-phenotype quantitative-trait-locus experiments. MalKinID (Malaria Kinship Identifier) is a new likelihood-based classification model designed to identify genealogical relationships among malaria parasites based on genome-wide IBD proportions and IBD segment distributions. MalKinID was calibrated to the genomic data from three laboratory-based genetic crosses (yielding 440 parent-child and 9060 full-sibling comparisons). MalKinID identified lab generated F1 progeny with >80% sensitivity and showed that 0.39 (95% CI 0.28, 0.49) of the second-generation progeny of a NF54 and NHP4026 cross were F1s and 0.56 (0.45, 0.67) were backcrosses of an F1 with the parental NF54 strain. In simulated outcrossed importations, MalKinID accurately reconstructs genealogy history with high precision and sensitivity, with F1-scores exceeding 0.84. However, when importation involves inbreeding, such as during serial co-transmission, the precision and sensitivity of MalKinID declined, with F1-scores of 0.76 (0.56, 0.92) and 0.23 (0.0, 0.4) for PC and FS and <0.05 for second-degree and third-degree relatives. Genealogical inference is most powered 1) when outcrossing is the norm or 2) when multi-sample comparisons based on a predefined pedigree are used. MalKinID lays the foundations for using IBD to track parasite transmission history and for separating progeny for quantitative-trait-locus experiments.

3D facial reconstruction and 3D printing of women skull from Bronze age, Slovakia

Facial reconstruction of individuals from historical periods can provide more information about them. The main aim of this study was to create an anthropological facial reconstruction of a Bronze Age skull based on a new soft tissue thickness database created from a sample of the Slovak female population. Using ultrasound, we evaluated 27 facial landmarks on 50 Slovak women, aged 18–30 years with Slovak genealogical history. The Bronze Age skull was anthropologically estimated as a Caucasoid female aged 24–30 years at the time of death. The ultrasound results were analysed and compared with nine European populations. Statistical analysis showed that there is no statistical difference between these populations in the values of facial soft tissue thicknesses. Using CT and Blender software with add-ons, we created a facial approximation of the skull. We 3D printed the virtual model, which can be used for educational and scientific purposes.

Clinical Case of Rare Genetic Disorder (Proud Syndrome) in a Child

Background. Proud syndrome is rare inherited disease with X-linked inheritance associated with mutations in the homeobox gene ARX. Typical clinical signs of this syndrome are severe mental retardation, intractable epilepsy, agenesis (dysgenesis) of corpus callosum. Less common features are genital abnormalities, microcephaly, facial dysmorphia, and skeletal malformations. Clinical case description. The article describes the clinical findings of Proud syndrome in girl A., admitted to Children’s City Clinical Hospital No. 1 in Nizhny Novgorod. The girl was born without asphyxia at term through natural vaginal delivery after the first uneventful pregnancy. Body weight at birth was 2600 g. The genealogical history is burdened by the presence of epilepsy in girl’s father relatives. There were no deviations in psychomotor skills development before disease onset. Hemi-convulsive seizures (switching sides) have appeared at the age of 6 months. These attacks had status course and were resistant to anticonvulsant therapy. Neuroimaging has revealed agenesis of corpus callosum. Regression of psychomotor development, new behavioral disorders (stereotypes and auto-aggression), hyperexcitability, and sleep disorders were observed in dynamics. The diagnosis of Proud syndrome was confirmed by identification of probably pathogenic mutation in the ARX gene (c.1111C&gt;T, p. Arg 371*64). The features of anticonvulsant management were demonstrated in the patient. Conclusion. This clinical case presents typical clinical picture of Proud syndrome. The disease is non-curable. Such patients should be administered with syndromic therapy: constant anticonvulsant therapy, correction of behavioral disorders (classes with specialist on mental defects), neurologist, epileptologist, psychiatrist observations. Parental examination is crucial ARX mutation search in order to determine the prognosis for further child-bearing (parents refused to perform genetic study at the time of article writing).

Conservation and conviviality in the American West

The emerging field of convivial conservation (CC) draws on the tradition of political ecology (PE) to present a “radical” alternative to contemporary environmentalisms, speaking to the challenges of conservation in the Anthropocene as well as the global ascent of reactionary populism. Building on previous work arguing for the ongoing value of dialogue between PE and the American West, I here develop a conversation between CC and another radical intervention, the collaborative conservation of the West’s so-called “radical center” (RC). Using the nexus of wolf–livestock conflict and public lands grazing, I first trace a genealogical history of western environmental politics before turning to CC as critical corrective to the shortcomings of the RC. Scholarship on the commons and commoning provides an analytical bridge and political toolkit for linking the empirics of place with the aspirational aims of conviviality, and naming and navigating on-the-ground obstacles to collaborative conservation efforts in the region. This dialogue in turn highlights deeply rooted tensions of capitalist political economy and questions of non/belonging rooted in settler colonialism—necessary regional engagements for building from polarized antagonism toward an alternative environmental politics of coexistence and conviviality.

Comparison of Bayesian Coalescent Skyline Plot Models for Inferring Demographic Histories.

Bayesian coalescent skyline plot models are widely used to infer demographic histories. The first (non-Bayesian) coalescent skyline plot model assumed a known genealogy as data, while subsequent models and implementations jointly inferred the genealogy and demographic history from sequence data, including heterochronous samples. Overall, there exist multiple different Bayesian coalescent skyline plot models which mainly differ in two key aspects: (i) how changes in population size are modeled through independent or autocorrelated prior distributions, and (ii) how many change-points in the demographic history are used, where they occur and if the number is pre-specified or inferred. The specific impact of each of these choices on the inferred demographic history is not known because of two reasons: first, not all models are implemented in the same software, and second, each model implementation makes specific choices that the biologist cannot influence. To facilitate a detailed evaluation of Bayesian coalescent skyline plot models, we implemented all currently described models in a flexible design into the software RevBayes. Furthermore, we evaluated models and choices on an empirical dataset of horses supplemented by a small simulation study. We find that estimated demographic histories can be grouped broadly into two groups depending on how change-points in the demographic history are specified (either independent of or at coalescent events). Our simulations suggest that models using change-points at coalescent events produce spurious variation near the present, while most models using independent change-points tend to over-smooth the inferred demographic history.

The Story of Fai‘ota: Resolving an Ancient Conflict in Malaita, Solomon Islands

ABSTRACT The people of Malaita in Solomon Islands identify with their ancestors through genealogical histories that shape relationships among families and clans. In 2020, John Omani, one of the authors of this article, was involved in a reconciliation between two clans whose ancestors had quarrelled 17 generations ago. He reviews this history, documented by co-author Ben Burt, and they examine the issues of ancestral culture and Christianity underlying the relationship between the clans and the ancestors, who they still respect but no longer pray to. The reconciliation ceremony shows how Malaitans have maintained ancestral values of conflict resolution over a century of colonial change.

Wasabi Gone Wild? Origin and Characterization of the Complete Plastomes of Ulleung Island Wasabi (Eutrema japonicum; Brassicaceae) and Other Cultivars in Korea.

Korean wasabi occurs naturally on the young oceanic, volcanic Ulleung Island off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. Although the Ulleung Island wasabi is reported as Eutrema japonicum and has been suggested to be morphologically identical to cultivars in Korea, very little is known about its taxonomic identity and relationship with other cultivars. In this study, we sequenced the complete chloroplast DNA sequences of three naturally occurring Ulleung Island wasabi plants and six cultivars ('Daewang', 'Daruma', 'Micado', 'Orochi', 'Green Thumb', and 'Shogun') from continental Korea and determined the taxonomic identity of Korean wasabi on Ulleung Island. The size and organization of the complete chloroplast genomes of the nine accessions were nearly identical to those of previously reported wasabi cultivars. In addition, phylogenetic analysis based on the complete plastomes suggested that Ulleung Island wasabi most likely comprises various wasabi cultivars with three chlorotypes ('Shogun', 'Green Thumb', and a unique Chusan type). Based on the complete plastomes, we identified eight chlorotypes for the major wasabi cultivars and the Ulleung Island wasabi. Two major groups (1-'Mazuma' and 'Daruma', and 2-'Fujidaruma'/'Shimane No. 3'/Ulleung Island wasabi/five cultivars in Korea) were also identified based on mother line genealogical history. Furthermore, different types of variations (mutations, insertions/deletions (indels), mononucleotide repeats, and inversions) in plastomes were identified to distinguish different cultivar lines and five highly divergent hotspots. The nine newly obtained complete plastomes are valuable organelle genomic resources for species identification and infraspecific phylogeographic studies on wild and cultivated wasabi.

Clinical and genetic characterization of patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia: a case series

AIM: of the study was to evaluate the clinical and genetic characteristics, including the development of adverse events and outcomes in patients with catecholaminergic polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (CPVT).&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical phenotype of eight patients with CPVT, two of whom were relatives of probands, was observed over 4 years. The clinical and instrumental study included ECG-12, 24-hour Holter ECG monitoring, genealogical history collection and family history of sudden cardiac death (SCD), transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect structural myocardial changes, electrophysiologic study according to indications, and ICD monitoring. High-throughput sequencing (NGS) was utilized to search for mutations in genes linked to the onset of channelopathies and other inherited rhythm disorders.&#x0D; RESULTS: In 8 patients, nucleotide variants of pathogenicity classes III-V were identified according to the ACMG (2015) criteria in the RYR2 gene associated with CPVT. Pathogenic (IV-V class) and likely pathogenic (IV class) mutations in the RYR2 gene were found in 6 (75%) probands, variants with uncertain clinical significance (VUS, class III) were found in 2 patients. At the time of diagnosis, transient QTc interval prolongation of more than 480 ms was detected in 4 (50%) patients; bradycardia less than 54 beats/min — in 2 (25%) patients, sequences of supraventricular tachycardia and ventricular tachyarrhythmia — in 2 (25%) patients. The most severe form of the disease with marked clinical manifestations and an episode of clinical death with subsequent resuscitation, as well as a transient QTc interval prolongation exceeding 500 ms was observed in patients with mutations c.11814C A (p.Ser3938Arg, rs794728704); c.463G A (p.Gly155Arg) and c.14876G A (p.Arg4959Gln, rs794728811) in the RYR2 gene. Three (37.5%) patients underwent ICD implantation; one for primary SCD prevention and two for secondary prevention.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: In this study, the spectrum of clinical manifestations in patients with genetically confirmed CPVT was examined. The findings highlight transient QTc interval extensions, significant sinus bradycardia, and sequences of supraventricular tachyarrhythmias, which can escalate into life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias in CPVT patients.

Brugada syndrome: variability of clinical and genetic characteristics

AIM: To evaluate the clinical characteristics of patients with diverse genetic variants of Brugada syndrome.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: 24 patients (17 male and 7 female) aged 18 to 55 years (median age 32.5 [20; 42] years) with a pattern of Brugada syndrome on electrocardiogram were observed for 3 years. From their ECGs, a type 1 pattern was found in 9 (37.5%) of these patients, type 2 pattern in 14 (58.3%) and type 3 pattern only in 1 patient. The clinical and instrumental study included 12-lead electrocardiogram, 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram monitoring, provocative drug test with intravenous administration of sodium channel blockers (novocainamide), electrophysiologic study according to indications, genealogical history collection and family history of sudden cardiac death, transthoracic echocardiography and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging to detect structural myocardial changes. High-throughput sequencing was utilized to search for mutations in genes linked to the onset of channelopathies and other inherited rhythm disorders.&#x0D; RESULTS: In 15 (62.5%) of the 24 probands included in the study, variants of the nucleotide sequence of pathogenicity classes III–V according to The American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics criteria (2015) were found in genes encoding sodium (SCN5A, SCN10A) and potassium (KCNE3, KCNJ2, KCNJ8, KCNA5) channels, as well as in HCN4 and SNTA1 genes linked with these channels. Moreover, 3 variants were identified in ANK2 gene associated with ankyrinopathies, and 3 variants in DSP and DES genes connected with arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy. Four genetic variants in SCN5A gene were of pathogenicity classes IV and V, the rest were variants of uncertain clinical significance (class III). Six (40.0%) of the 15 genotype-positive patients had several genetic variants. The most severe form of the disease, manifested by the development of ventricular fibrillation with successful resuscitation and subsequent cardioverter-defibrillator implantation, was observed in patients with mutations in SCN5A, SCN10A genes. Recurrent syncope, polymorphic ventricular tachycardia induced by programmed ventricular stimulation during electrophysiologic study, followed by cardioverter-defibrillator implantation were observed in patients with variants KCNJ8 and HCN4, DES and MYH11. In 2 patients with clinical manifestations, no mutations were identified. 13 (54.2%) patients were asymptomatic, while 3 of them had pathogenic and likely pathogenic mutations in SCN5A gene, as well as variants of uncertain clinical significance.&#x0D; CONCLUSION: Thus, this study examined various genetic variants in patients with Brugada syndrome based on their clinical manifestation. The impact of the genotype on the Brugada syndrome phenotype is not unambiguous. The most severe form of the disease with the development of ventricular fibrillation and successful resuscitation with subsequent cardioverter-defibrillator implantation was observed mainly in patients with variants in several genes (SCN5A and JUP, KCNJ8 and HCN4, DES and MYH11). This substantiate the idea that Brugada syndrome, along with monogenic, may also have a polygenic nature of the disease, in which the clinical phenotype is determined by variants in respective genes linked to the onset of cardiovascular disorders.

A Waldensian Pastor Between the Confessional Myth and National Genealogy History and Religious Reform in Emilio Comba (1839–1904)

AbstractEmilio Comba, a leading Waldensian historian in the nineteenth century, was a strong advocate for nation-building in post-unification Italy. This article examines the relationship between Comba's “making Italians” endeavors and his historical writings, focusing mainly on his appropriation of the preceding confessional framework. As a fervent nationalist and evangelical pastor, Comba believed that true Risorgimento required not only political independence but also a religious reform of the Italian nation that would restore Italians to the original Religion of Christ. He envisioned this national reform as a realization of both liberty and the Gospel within the universal history of the Christian religion. Comba employed historical writings to support his claims, attempting to demonstrate how Italy was a perennially Protestant nation on the one hand and to serve as a magistra vitae for fellow citizens on the other. This article argues that Comba relied on a genealogical narrative structure inherited from the early modern protestant historiography in presenting his national history. By recasting its composition according to a category of the nation, he transformed a confessional genealogy of the true church into a national one. From a broader perspective, this article calls for further reflection on the role that the early modern intellectual framework played in the process of modern nation-building.

Genetic Racialization: Ancestry Tests and the Reification of Race

Abstract While there has been a significant increase in the availability of DNA testing to identify one’s ancestry, we know little about the implications of these services for everyday social meanings of race and ethnicity. Scholarship about ancestry testing generally focuses on the significance of DNA testing for individual consumers who lack access to genealogical history, often due to systemic racism and inequality. Drawing on an analysis of over 400 videos uploaded by people who have utilized DNA testing kits to uncover their ancestry, this article focuses on how ancestry testing is mediated in the public sphere and its implications for social understandings of race and ethnicity. We find that consumers of DNA-based ancestry testing engage in what we term “genetic racialization,” in which they emphasize the primacy of science to uncover their ancestral connections, and, by extension, biologize notions of race and ethnicity and omit histories of colonialism and conquest in the social construction of race. The vocabulary of “blood” provides a key framework from which individuals interpret their ancestry results and implicitly draw on colonial frameworks of blood quantum and purity to define what it means to belong to particular racial and ethnic groups.

Review: Slavery in Zion: A Documentary and Genealogical History of Black Lives and Black Servitude in Utah Territory, 1847–1862, by Amy Tanner Thiriot

Review: <i>Slavery in Zion: A Documentary and Genealogical History of Black Lives and Black Servitude in Utah Territory, 1847–1862</i>, by Amy Tanner Thiriot

Exploring the Nuances of Emirati Identity: A Study of Dual Identities and Hybridity in the Post-Oil United Arab Emirates

In the face of globalization and diversity in the United Arab Emirates, the post-oil generation of Emiratis face unique challenges in navigating their cultural and national identities. Previously published research and scholarly works have engaged in complex discourse around Emirati identities, describing them as a population with similar genealogical backgrounds, ancestry, history, and cultural values. However, the element of heterogeneity among Emiratis remains highly under-examined. This research paper will examine the experiences of Emiratis with dual identities in the UAE, investigating their perceptions, attitudes, and narratives on being labeled as the “other” by their compatriots; exploring the spaces where hybrid Emiratis, locally known as “halfies”, choose to reveal and conceal their multiplicity. In order to examine this complex socio-cultural phenomenon, semi-structured interviews with twenty Emiratis with twin identities were employed for this empirical study. The examination of the interviews uncovered the difficulties that individuals with mixed heritage encounter, as well as their strategies for overcoming these obstacles in order to find acceptance in a society that values a shared national identity. The research findings contribute to the scholarship of Emirati identity construction.

Identity Awoken in Second-Generation British Poles in the UK—Personal Journeys

We examine the identity of British Poles born in the UK, whose parents arrived as allied servicemen and their families, seeking asylum following WW2. The two authors are from this community, and here examine their British-Polish identity along with other second-generation Poles in the UK. These individuals grew up in distinct communities exposed to the Polish language and culture but with restricted contact with communist Poland. The themes of response to parents’ trauma experience, Polish identity in childhood and in midlife, Polish language, and visiting family in Poland were explored. Many described parents as secretive about the horrors of war but keen to retain and propagate their Polish identity. Some felt they were not fully Polish, but their identity increased with access to modern Poland as adults. The Polish language was important to identity but linked to feeling inadequacy when not fluent. Visiting family in Poland enhanced identity, was valued, and provided information on family history. European identity was adopted by some to cover both their British and Polish identity. Genealogy and family history are popular and linked to community, and British Poles have a distinct contribution and a voice in showing how identity can emerge out of family trauma.

Extended Family Outreach in Hereditary Cancer Using Web-Based Genealogy, Direct-to-Consumer Ancestry Genetics, and Social Media: Mixed Methods Process Evaluation of the ConnectMyVariant Intervention

Cascade screening, defined as helping at-risk relatives get targeted genetic testing of familial variants for dominant hereditary cancer syndromes, is a proven component of cancer prevention; however, its uptake is low. We developed and conducted a pilot study of the ConnectMyVariant intervention, in which participants received support to contact at-risk relatives that extended beyond first-degree relatives and encourage relatives to obtain genetic testing and connect with others having the same variant through email and social media. The support that participants received included listening to participants' needs, assisting with documentary genealogy to find common ancestors, facilitating direct-to-consumer DNA testing and interpretation, and assisting with database searches. We aimed to assess intervention feasibility, motivations for participating, and engagement among ConnectMyVariant participants and their families. We used a mixed methods design including both quantitative and qualitative evaluation methods. First, we considered intervention feasibility by characterizing recruitment and retention using multiple recruitment mechanisms, including web-based advertising, dissemination of invitations with positive test results, provider recruitment, snowball sampling, and recruitment through web-based social networks and research studies. Second, we characterized participants' motivations, concerns, and engagement through project documentation of participant engagement in outreach activities and qualitative analysis of participant communications. We used an inductive qualitative data analysis approach to analyze emails, free-text notes, and other communications generated with participants as part of the ConnectMyVariant intervention. We identified 84 prospective participants using different recruitment mechanisms; 57 participants were ultimately enrolled in the study for varying lengths of time. With respect to motivations for engaging in the intervention, participants were most interested in activities relating to genealogy and communication with others who had their specific variants. Although there was a desire to find others with the same variant and prevent cancer, more participants expressed an interest in learning about their genealogy and family health history, with prevention in relatives considered a natural side effect of outreach. Concerns about participation included whether relatives would be open to communication, how to go about it, and whether others with a specific variant would be motivated to help find common ancestors. We observed that ConnectMyVariant participants engaged in 6 primary activities to identify and communicate with at-risk relatives: sharing family history, family member testing, direct-to-consumer genealogy genetic testing analysis, contacting (distant) relatives, documentary genealogy, and expanding variant groups or outreach. Participants who connected with others who had the same variant were more likely to engage with several extended family outreach activities. This study demonstrated that there is an interest in extended family outreach as a mechanism to improve cascade screening for hereditary cancer prevention. Additional research to systematically evaluate the outcomes of such outreach may be challenging but is warranted.

“What is the Real Sweden?”

While the interest and search for identity through genealogy or family history is not new, the increased mediatization, access, and range of vehicles through which one can engage and learn are. What are the effects of this mediatization of identity and genealogy? How do individuals understand and interact with these mediatized representations? Since the expanded availability and marketing of genetic/DNA testing in the 1990s, and media programmes that trace the “roots” of famous people such as “Who do you think you are?” interest in genealogy has exponentially grown. In relation, ancestry tourism has grown in popularity before the Covid-19 pandemic and is projected by many researchers, culture, and government organisations post-pandemic to be instrumental in rebuilding tourism for many affected places and countries. The Swedish reality television programme, “Allt för Sverige” acts as a bridge between the mediatization of genealogy and this ancestry tourism interest. American contestants are introduced to a frame of Swedish identity as produced through the institutional structures of a television show, reflecting larger historical and socio-cultural assumptions, ideologies, and knowledge. This identity encoded by the programme of “Allt för Sverige” is engaged with/decoded and reacted to by the contestant. Utilising the concept of frame and framing, from Goffman and media studies, the presentation of Swedish Identity in “Allt för Sverige’s” is explored in the narratives from semi-structured interviews with 16 previous contestants. This data is analysed through Hall’s theoretical encoding/decoding model. This study contributes with new knowledge to the ongoing research examining the interest and mediatization of genealogy by focusing on the effect on participants in front of the camera instead of the targeted audience.

Dicentric chromosome breakage in Drosophila melanogaster is influenced by pericentric heterochromatin and occurs in nonconserved hotspots.

Chromosome breakage plays an important role in the evolution of karyotypes and can produce deleterious effects within a single individual, such as aneuploidy or cancer. Forces that influence how and where chromosomes break are not fully understood. In humans, breakage tends to occur in conserved hotspots called common fragile sites (CFS), especially during replication stress. By following the fate of dicentric chromosomes in Drosophila melanogaster, we find that breakage under tension also tends to occur in specific hotspots. Our experimental approach was to induce sister chromatid exchange in a ring chromosome to generate a dicentric chromosome with a double chromatid bridge. In the following cell division, the dicentric bridges may break. We analyzed the breakage patterns of 3 different ring-X chromosomes. These chromosomes differ by the amount and quality of heterochromatin they carry as well as their genealogical history. For all 3 chromosomes, breakage occurs preferentially in several hotspots. Surprisingly, we found that the hotspot locations are not conserved between the 3 chromosomes: each displays a unique array of breakage hotspots. The lack of hotspot conservation, along with a lack of response to aphidicolin, suggests that these breakage sites are not entirely analogous to CFS and may reveal new mechanisms of chromosome fragility. Additionally, the frequency of dicentric breakage and the durability of each chromosome's spindle attachment vary significantly between the 3 chromosomes and are correlated with the origin of the centromere and the amount of pericentric heterochromatin. We suggest that different centromere strengths could account for this.

LIFE AND ACTIVITIES OF ZAKHIRIDDIN MUHAMMAD BABUR

This article describes the life and work of the great Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, a descendant of Amir Temur, the genealogical history of Babur and the meaning of the name “Babur”.