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Studies of subterranean habitats in Slovakia revealed two rare linyphiid spider species new to the country, Pseudomaro aenigmaticus Denis, 1966 and Pseudocarorita thaleri (Saaristo, 1971). Pseudomaro aenigmaticus was recorded in the Malé Karpaty Mountains in western Slovakia. A male was captured in the limestone Plavecká Cave and a female was found in a granitoid mesovoid shallow substratum (MSS) in the Jajcajov jarok Valley. One pair of Pseudocarorita thaleri was found in the MSS in the Belinské skaly Nature Monument in the Cerová vrchovina Highland in southern Slovakia. This study also presents the characteristic habitus and habitats of the recorded spiders.

We studied the spatial structure of spiders and beetles in 4 types of habitats in the Poloniny National Park. Between the years 2020 and 2021, we recorded 1,597 beetle specimens and 3,765 spider specimens using the pitfall trap method. The most represented beetles were Poecilus versicolor (53.4%), Nebria brevicollis (10.3%), Staphylinus caesareus (4.4%) and Amara familiaris (4.1%). Among the spiders, there were species Pardosa pullata (21.81%), Pachygnatha degeeri (14.21%), Xerolycosa nemoralis (10.28%), Pardosa palustris (7.86%), Trochosa ruricola (6.24%) and Alopecosa pulverulenta (4.38%). We confirmed the occurrence of two European important species of beetles (Carabus zawadzkii, Carabus variolosus) and 3 species of spiders belonging to the vulnerable species according to the IUCN threat status (Gongylidiellum vivum, Palliduphantes milleri and Xysticus lineatus). We also found the spider Micaria micans, which is new to the Slovak fauna and information about its distribution and habitat preferences in Slovakia is presented. Using multivariate analyzes (CCA, RDA) and classification species into bioindicative groups, we found a greater connection of adaptable and eurytopic species of ground beetles to the mesophilic meadow and of spiders to the habitat Nardetum pasture. Based on bioindicative groups of species (adaptable, eurytopic and relict), we found only a small difference in percentile points between spiders and beetles.

Orchestina pavesii (Simon, 1873) was recently discovered in Slovakia. Description of a male is presented.

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Flavonoids are a group of polyphenolic compounds known to possess good radical scavenging activity. It was also shown that their anti/prooxidant properties are strongly structure‐dependent and can be modified by metal ion binding. The structural parameters also appear to be key factors during their DNA‐binding abilities. This work deals with spectroscopic and theoretical studies of two flavonoids, baicalein and scutellarein, alone, and in the presence of redox‐active metal ion Cu(II). Cu(II) is the catalytic active ion in Fenton‐like reactions and can enhance the production of reactive oxygen species or, when bound to the flavonoid, influence its antioxidant potential. UV–Vis spectroscopy showed that the electronic properties of the parent flavonoids are changed following the CuCl2 addition. Job's plot method revealed the 1:1 binding mode of interaction in DMSO and DMSO/PBS solvent. The ABTS•+ assay showed only a negligible effect of Cu(II) presence on the antioxidant properties of baicalein and scutellarein. The mix of the natural reductant, glutathione, with flavonoids showed a synergistic effect in ABTS•+ inhibition; however, this effect was suppressed by the presence of Cu(II). Absorption titration and molecular docking studies showed an effective DNA binding of both flavonoids that is further enhanced by the presence of Cu(II). DFT calculations were carried out to identify the most energetically stable Cu(II)–flavonoid structures as well as to determine the ability of their hydroxyl groups to undergo homolytic or heterolytic cleavage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three years of study (2016-2019) of endangered habitats of inland salt marshes and salt steppes have yielded several interesting and novel data about the araneofauna of Slovakia. Ground-active spider communities were studied at nine localities belonging to Natura 2000 sites in the Pannonian region. A total of 220 species were recorded, of which 28 species are listed in the Slovak Red List as threatened and 18 species as potentially threatened. The other 11 documented rare species were recorded only in the last decade and are known from only one or a few localities. During the first part of the study, six first records for our fauna from salt marshes (already published) were revealed. Moreover, the continuation of the research brought other new findings for the Slovakian araneofauna Pardosa tenuipes (Lycosidae), Dactylopisthes digiticeps (Linyphiidae) and Ozyptila sanctuaria (Thomisidae). Their characteristic features, photos of the habitus and genitalia, notes on their phenology, habitat, an overview of the currently known distribution, and the dominant species of spider assemblages are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Holarctic species offer great opportunities to study biogeography, phylogenetics, taxonomy, and local adaptation. Species that are considered conspecific between the Palearctic and the Nearctic realms are often split into 2 or more species when denser sampling and molecular markers are applied. Similar in complexity but at a finer geographical scale are species groups having Arctic-Alpine distributions where lineages have complicated demographic histories due to glacial dynamics. In both cases, allopatric speciation might not result in fast differentiation of morphological characters if environmental conditions in isolated areas are similar and the main driver of variability is genetic drift. Here, we study the Holarctic Pardosa hyperborea (Thorell, 1872) and its closest European relatives to assess their taxonomic status and patterns of genetic variability. Based on DNA barcodes and genomic data from double-digest restriction site associated sequencing, we propose that the North American populations should be regarded as a distinct species (P. luteola Emerton,1894, stat. resurr.), possibly consisting of several independent lineages. With the help of D-statistics, population genetic simulations and phylogenetic networks analysis, we demonstrate historical introgression among European species of the group and a likely explanation for shared DNA barcodes among allopatric and fully differentiated species. Our study exposes a promising model for studying speciation processes and demographic history in parallel on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean and demonstrates the usefulness of genomic tools in elucidating the taxonomy and biogeography of taxa across broad geographic scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most interesting groups of fatty acid derivates is the group of conjugated fatty acids from which the most researched include: conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and conjugated linolenic acid (CLNA), which are associated with countless health benefits. Sex pheromone mixtures of some insect species, including tobacco horn-worm (Manduca sexta), are typical for the production of uncommon C16 long conjugated fatty acids with two and three conjugated double bonds, as opposed to C18 long CLA and CLNA. In this study, M. sexta desaturases MsexD2 and MsexD3 were expressed in multiple strains of Y. lipolytica with different genotypes. Experiments with the supplementation of fatty acid methyl esters into the medium resulted in the production of novel fatty acids. Using GCxGC-MS, 20 new fatty acids with two or three double bonds were identified. Fatty acids with conjugated or isolated double bonds, or a combination of both, were produced in trace amounts. The results of this study prove that Y. lipolytica is capable of synthesizing C16-conjugated fatty acids. Further genetic optimization of the Y. lipolytica genome and optimization of the fermentation process could lead to increased production of novel fatty acid derivatives with biotechnologically interesting properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper provides an analysis of the rare and important Natura 2000 species Carabus zawadzkii in terms of its ecological niche, conservation status and relationship with other Carabus species in carabid assemblages. Published sources are inconsistent in defining the habitats in which this species occurs. Therefore, a large part of this paper is dedicated to identifying the relationship of Carabus zawadzkii with particular non-forest habitats based on field research conducted in 2011-2013. The results revealed an unexpected affinity of this species for non-forest habitats in addition to the know relationship with forest habitats. Further analysis, using additional field data collected over the period 2013-2021, also focused on the assessment of the current conservation status of this rare species. Overall, the population of this species seems stable; however, to improve its conservation status it requires particular management measures. Important conservation measures include periodic extensive mowing of mountain hay meadows. This species' seasonal dynamics provides important information for nature conservationists. It is important to carry out research on this species in May, when it is most active. Presented results provide the most comprehensive overview of the ecological preferences and occurrence of this important and very rare Carpathian species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spatial distribution of parasitoids is closely linked to the distribution and ecological requirements of their hosts. Several studies have documented changes in the fauna composition of parasitoids in response to elevation, but data on parasitoids associated with spiders are missing. The koinobiont ichneumonid wasp Zatypota anomala is strictly specialised on spiders of the genus Dictyna (Dictynidae) in Europe. We examined the distribution of spiders of the family Dictynidae in forest ecotones in central Europe across a broad elevation gradient (110-1466 m a.s.l.). We checked the spiders for parasitism by Z. anomala. It was most abundant at the mid-elevations (median 712 m a.s.l., range 179-870 m a.s.l.). We identified four dictynid spider species as Z. anomala hosts. These were Dictyna arundinacea, Dictyna uncinata, Nigma flavescens, and Nigma walckenaeri. All four species and the genus Nigma were recorded as hosts for the first time. The parasitoids strongly preferred juvenile instars of their hosts. The body length differed between parasitised Dictyna and Nigma spiders (medians: 1.95 mm and 2.55 mm, respectively). The distribution of Dictyna and Nigma spiders overlapped along the elevation gradient, but parasitism incidence significantly differed between spider genera along the elevation gradient. Nigma was parasitized at lower elevations between 179-254 m a.s.l. and Dictyna at higher elevations between 361-870 m a.s.l. The phenology of Z. anomala is closely tied to the univoltine life strategy of its host spiders. The parasitoid female oviposits in autumn, and its offspring overwinter as larvae on the host, reach adulthood during spring, and pass the summer as an adult. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spiders Walckenaeria stylifrons (O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1875) and Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) are reported from Slovakia for the first time. These new records are based on adult males found in Western Slovakia in xerothermic habitats. The occurrence of W. stylifrons in Slovakia fills the gap in its distribution in Pannonian Basin and between Austria and Ukraine. Spiracme mongolica has been known only from the Balkans and south-eastern part of Europe to central Asia, this is the first record for Central Europe. We suggest Spiracme mongolica (Schenkel, 1963) new combination for Xysticus mongolicus Schenkel, 1963. Characteristic features, photographs of habitus and copulatory organs, and habitats of the new records are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two spider species, Clubiona pseudoneglecta Wunderlich, 1994 and Paratrachelas maculatus (Thorell, 1875), have been recorded for the first time in Slovakia. One male and five females of C. pseudoneglecta were collected at three sites in the Danube Plain. Two females of P. maculatus were found in the parks of the town of Galanta. Photos of the habitus and genitalia, an overview of the current distribution and habitat preferences are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors have prepared a detailed map of Slovakia's ecosystems, which identifies individual ecosystems and their spatial distribution, status, and selected properties. The impetus for the production of this map is the need of various stakeholders, especially nature protection bodies, forestry management, agricultural management and public administration, for better data on the distribution of ecosystems. The methodology mostly involves using GIS analytical tools to combine datasets on nature protection, forestry, and agriculture which list attributes related to habitat identification. The results can be used for ecosystem services assessment, spatial planning, nature protection analysis, and other related purposes. The spatial precision of the data is determined by that of the field data, which was mostly created at scales between 1:10000 and 1:5000. The data are stored in the form of a geodatabase containing more than 1,000,000 polygons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burrowing mammals through their digging activities are important ecosystem engineers and bioturbators in grassland ecosystems. Through habitat formation, they can have significant effects on other species in an ecosystem, structuring their abundance and diversity.We analysed the effect of the European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) on spider (Araneae) and harvestman (Opiliones) communities, because these arachnids are the most abundant and dominant predators with a great variety of foraging strategies, and their community composition is strongly influenced by the physical structure of the environment.We established replicate mound plots positioned directly in the centre of ground squirrel mounds with paired off‐mound control plots undisturbed by ground squirrels. We sampled spiders and harvestmen using pitfall traps on 30 ground squirrel mounds and 30 paired off‐mound control plots at two study sites differing in grazing intensity and plant species richness.We found that the response of spiders was site‐specific, while harvestmen responded consistently to disturbances by burrowing mammals. Mounds exhibited increased abundance and species richness of harvestmen at both study sites, while species richness of spiders was increased only in intensively managed grassland. We also detected compositional changes of the arachnid community on the mounds in comparison to the grassland matrix.Our findings indicate that burrowing mammals through physical state changes in abiotic and biotic material modulate the resources for other species and maintain a high diversity of biotic communities in intensively grazed grasslands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The composition of spider communities in forests is affected by habitat characteristics, such as canopy openness, vegetation cover or tree species diversity; therefore, we assume that the effect of canopy will differ among tree species.As research in European beech forests has not been conducted, we studied the effect of understory environmental characteristics associated with a gradient of overstory canopy openness in beech forest on ground‐dwelling spider richness, abundance and guild composition in the Western Carpathians, Slovakia. Canopy openness, the cover of understory vegetation and litter, litter thickness and variability and soil reaction were recorded. In total, 17 332 individuals of 174 spider species were trapped during 518 days. We used Generalised Linear Models to explain the effect of environmental characteristics on the assemblages of ground‐dwelling spiders; the unique and shared contributions of the predictors were calculated using variation partitioning.The association of canopy openness with spider species richness was hump‐shaped and displayed positive linear relationship with abundance. Abundance was also affected by soil pH.The composition of spider communities was significantly affected by canopy openness and understory characteristics; a major part of this variation was shared between all variables. The guild composition of the assemblages interacted with canopy openness, as sheet‐web weavers were dominant under the most closed canopy, that below 20% of canopy openness, while ground hunters dominated in the rest of the canopy gradient.The gradient of beech forest canopy openness affected spider species richness, abundance and guild composition and supported distinct assemblages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 3‐acetyl‐1,2‐diacylglycerols (acTAGs) are the molecules that are structurally similar to triacylglycerols (TAGs). They are naturally produced by plants of the family Celastraceae and animals such as Cervus nippon and Eurosta solidaginis. The presence of acetate in the sn–3 position of the glycerol backbone confers advantages to these compounds, for example, lower viscosity and calorific value compared to classical TAGs. In this work, the gene EeDAcT, which encodes diacylglycerol acetyltransferase in a species of bush (Euonymus europaeus), was overexpressed in strains Po1d (capable of accumulating storage lipids) and JMY1877 (incapable of accumulating storage lipids) of Yarrowia lipolytica, to test the activity of the gene EeDAcT and the production of acTAGs in oleaginous and nonoleaginous genetic backgrounds. It was observed that both the strains containing the gene EeDAcT (YL33 and YL35 for Po1d and JMY1877 strains, respectively) produced acTAGs. The strain YL33 accumulated up to 20% intracellular lipids, 20% of which was acTAGs, and 40% was TAGs. On the other hand, the strain YL35, which showed interrupted TAGs accumulation, produced up to 10% acTAGs as the only storage lipid. Unfortunately, the quantity of acTAGs produced in YL35 was insignificant, as the overall lipid accumulated in the strain was not more than 4% of the biomass. The fatty acid profile of acTAGs produced by the YL33 strain was remarkably similar to TAGs, and both of these structures were rich in oleic (45%) and palmitic (25%) acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oleaginous yeasts are considered as natural single cell oil producers. Engineering the lipid biosynthetic pathway has the potential to increase lipid accumulation by these yeasts. In Yarrowia lipolytica, three diacylglycerol acyltransferases encoded by LRO1, DGA1, and DGA2 genes are involved in lipid formation. Strain JMY3580 was constructed by overexpressing DGA2 gene in Q4 strain ( dga1Δ dga2Δ lro1Δ are1Δ). Reconstruction of triacylglycerol synthesis pathway led to significant improvement in lipid accumulation. Strain JMY3580 accumulated over 40% of lipids in biomass, while lipid accumulation in wild-type strain was not able to exceed 20% when grown on a glycerol-based medium with carbon to nitrogen ratio of 90. Higher lipid accumulation (over 50%) was achieved in fed-batch grown cells when glycerol was added during cultivation. The best biomass yield was 18.5 g/L after 144 h with total fatty acid yield 9.9 g/L. Fatty acid composition was altered when Dga2p was the only diacylglycerol acyltransferase present in yeast cells, especially lower percentage of linoleic acid was present in lipids of JMY3580. Microbial oil prepared by conversion of glycerol by genetically engineered Y. lipolytica could be applied for various value-added products based on single cell oils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the oleaginous yeast Yarrowia lipolytica, the diacylglycerol acyltransferases (DGATs) are major factors for triacylglycerol (TAG) synthesis. The Q4 strain, in which the four acyltransferases have been deleted, is unable to accumulate lipids and to form lipid bodies (LBs). However, the expression of a single acyltransferase in this strain restores TAG accumulation and LB formation. Using this system, it becomes possible to characterize the activity and specificity of an individual DGAT. Here, we examined the effects of DGAT overexpression on lipid accumulation and LB formation in Y. lipolytica. Specifically, we evaluated the consequences of introducing one or two copies of the Y. lipolytica DGAT genes YlDGA1 and YlDGA2. Overall, multi-copy DGAT overexpression increased the lipid content of yeast cells. However, the size and distribution of LBs depended on the specific DGAT overexpressed. YlDGA2 overexpression caused the formation of large LBs, while YlDGA1 overexpression generated smaller but more numerous LBs. This phenotype was accentuated through the addition of a second copy of the overexpressed gene and might be linked to the distinct subcellular localization of each DGAT, i.e. YlDga1 being localized in LBs, while YlDga2 being localized in a structure strongly resembling the endoplasmic reticulum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was conducted to study assemblages of ground living spider of a peatland and their surrounding habitats (margin of dry pine forest and meadows) in the Šuja peat bog (in northern part of Slovakia) in 2013. The aim of study was to classify assemblages of ground living spider into different habitat types, compare their composition and analyse the relation of species occurrence at study sites. Spiders were sampled between April and October 2013 at 8 study sites using pitfall traps. 1,974 individuals belonging to 100 species and to 21 families were captured in total. Diversity, equitability, species composition, preference for humidity, inclusion in the group of their ecological valence and habitat association were used to characterize ground living spider communities at each study site. In order to evaluate the relationship among the communities of the spiders at the sampling sites we used principal component analysis. Based on their ecological characteristics, spiders formed five groups of species associated with semi dry to mesophilous open meadow habitats, semi dry woodland habitats, mesophilous unshaded habitats, mesophilous partly shaded habitats without herbal vegetation cover and hygrophilous habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work focuses on degradation of α-tocopherol and formation of α-tocopherol degradation products in sunflower oil heated at frying temperature. We determined the content and measured the kinetics of α-tocopherol, α-tocopheryl quinone, α-tocopheryl fatty acid formation in heated sunflower oil without aeration (So) and in aerated oil (air flow 20 L/h) (SoAir). During 10 h of So oil heating, the α-tocopherol was depleted and the content of α-tocopheryl quinone in So grew from 3 to 84 mg/kg, as did the content of tocopherol free fatty acid esters from the initial 5 to 185 mg/kg. In SoAir oil, the rate constants of formation and decomposition of tocopherol degradation products were determined. Accelerated oxidation in SoAir caused depletion of the degradation products of tocopherol after 2 h of heating. The reason for this was significant oxidation and polymerization of fatty acids in SoAir oil. The unique features of this work are the syntheses and spectral analysis of tocopherol oxidation products and the development of a suitable method for quantitative analysis of α-tocopheryl fatty acids. For the first time, we confirmed formation and degradation of tocopheryl fatty acids during oil heating at frying temperature. Practical applications: All the results presented here, consisting of organic syntheses, qualitative and quantitative analysis of α-tocopheryl fatty acids as well as oxidation and degradation products of tocopherols and fatty acids, will aid future research focused on the degradation of tocopherols. So far the content of α-tocopheryl fatty acids has not been determined by GC-FID or HPLC-UV. This is why there has been little interest in α-tocopheryl fatty acids, although they are formed both in culinary treatment of food and in oil refining. Free fatty acids (FFAs), fatty acids (FAs), oxidation [o], products (i) and products (ii) are unspecified products of α-tocopheryl FAs and α-TQ degradation. Degradation products of α-tocopherol were formed in heated sunflower oil and further heating of oil caused decomposition of α-tocopherol degradation products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eleven new 2-styrylbenzothiazole-N-oxides have been prepared by aldol - type condensation reactions between 2-methylbenzothiazole-N-oxide and para-substituted benzaldehydes. Compounds with cyclic amino substituents showed typical push-pull molecule properties. Four compounds were tested against various bacterial strains as well as the protozoan Euglena gracilis as model microorganisms. Unlike previously prepared analogous benzothiazolium salts, only weak activity was recorded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the problems of transformation of social-spatial situation in Slovakia, which in many respects reflects the happening and turbulence of contemporary transformation process. After 1989, the reform of social-spatial sphere became one of the most expansive reforms. This study indicate the further fragmentation and polarisation of Slovak society as the developmental and modernisation processes of these differentiating social and social-spatial subjects are quite asynchronous contributing to the society shocks and complicating its developmental dynamics. Polarisation of society rests on the horizontal social-spatial differentiation as well as on the vertical social-economic polarisation. Existing residential and regional differences usually represent the social inequalities. So is the case with the vertical social-economic polarisation, which has striking regional and residential impacts. This vertical polarisation deeply influences social stratification of contemporary society and creates new social stratum of poor and unemployed.

The article discusses the historical development of socio-spatial situation in Slovakia. It concentrates especially on its developmental problems resulting in unfavorable conditions of this contemporary situation influenced also by social, demographic, economic, ecological and civilization problems. It analyzes the regional level of society in the 20th century with a special attention being paid to the period of the industrial urbanization. It presents the circumstances related to the shift in the civilization basis of society's development, its supposed sources and influence on the socio-spatial organization of Slovak society. The original situation in the first half of the 20th century was difficult, due to the delay in industrial and urbanization processes, which later became intensified in the 1950's. As the context and impacts of the shift from agrarian to industrial society as well as the transformation from rural to urban society indicate, these shifts were asynchronic, notably the urbanization process was significantly delayed. It also discusses the factors influencing the formation of socio-spatial situation of society, presenting how the industrialization and urbanization processes intensified the industrial and social development of society.

The article focuses on the problems of marginal territories, which have not been considered from a sociological point of view in the past. These problems became especially important in Slovak society's period of transition after 1989. In post-Communist society involved in this transition and its transition to a market economy, marginal territories were unexpectedly expanded and their economic and social problems increased. This fact surprised people living in marginal territories, which were created as a consequence of socialist industrialization and urbanization in the second half of the 20th century. People who lived in regions of heavy metallurgy, mining and military industry were even more surprised because the conversion and degression strongly affected them. The resultant results, long-term unemployment, the growth of poverty, crime and other socio-pathological phenomena had not been known for many generations. The process of solving these problems increased the costs of social transformation, and unbearable social costs threatened the course of society's transition.

The article focuses on the economic conditions of the marginalized territories in Slovakia. Marginalized territories in Slovakia reflect the existing regional differences. The emergence of territories that diverge, in the negative sense of the word, from acceptable standards, that is, marginalized territories, is not a new phenomenon. The very denotation of this quality of a territory indicates that it represents territories. The term marginality can be associated with the geographic or urban location of the territory in question. The substance of this marginality does not refer to its geographic or urban character but to its social character. A discussion of marginalized territories should take into consideration the status quo, that is, the status of the marginality- non-marginality phenomenon, as well as the process of marginalization. It is the latter aspect, the process, that is important as it enables us to consider the extent to which a given situation is transient, or a long-term phenomenon with a historical basis.