Recentni problemi socijalne kulture i etnologije u Slovačkoj

This paper is focused on selected problems of social relations in rural communities in Slovakia at the turn of the 20th and 21st centuries which became the study subject of ethnology. The political changeover in 1989 in the former Czechoslovakia was an important stimulus for change. The first topic of social studies is the elimination of former socialist ownership and the reestablishment of private ownership of agricultural and forest land. The second topic is voluntary activity and changes to the structure of communities and associations in the rural community. There are also studies of newly established non governmental organizations which promote local culture and support developing tourism.Ovaj se članak bavi pojedinim problemima društvenih odnosa u ruralnim zajednicama u Slovačkoj na prijelazu iz 20. u 21. stoljeće, koji su postali predmetom etnoloških istraživanja. Politički prevrat iz 1989. godine u bivšoj Čehoslovačkoj bio je važan poticaj za promjene. Nakon 1990-ih bivše je socijalističko kolektivno vlasništvo nestalo, a privatno vlasništvo nad poljoprivrednim i šumskim zemljištem, koje je do tada država besplatno eksploatirala preko nametnutih zadruga, ponovno je uspostavljeno. U razdoblju nakon političkog prevrata vlasnički, korisnički i zaposlenički odnosi lokalnog stanovništva znatno su prošireni. Sukobi interesa doveli su, međutim, do napetosti i konflikata u zajedničkom životu stanovnika, ne samo unutar jedne zajednice, već često i među članovima jedne obitelji i srodnicima. Socijalna struktura stanovništva se promijenila: s jedne strane stvoren je nov društveni sloj poduzetnika i trgovaca, a s druge strane sloj nezaposlenih i siromašnih ljudi. I na području dobrovoljnih aktivnosti promijenila se struktura zajednica i organizacija koje su postojale u ruralnim područjima. Nova društva, koja su do tada imala vrlo uzak krug djelatnosti ili nisu uopće postojala, sada su uspostavljena (crkve i dobrotvorne organizacije, udruge koje su se posvetile razvoju i očuvanju etnokulturne jedinstvenosti etničkih manjina u ruralnim područjima, na primjer njemačke ili židovske zajednice itd.). Druga česta tema suvremenih etnoloških istraživanja jest utjecaj religije na svakodnevnu kulturu. Crkve koje su zabranjivane ili su sasvim nestale tijekom 1940-ih i 1950-ih (na primjer židovska ili grčka katolička crkva) ponovno su uspostavljene nakon 1989. godine. Njihova ponovna uspostava rezultirala je brojnim imovinskim tužbama postojećih vlasnika njihove imovine, na primjer države, građana ili drugih crkvenih zajednica koje nisu bile zabranjivane. Etnologija također proučava i djelatnosti novouspostavljenih nevladinih udruga u selima, među kojima su i one koje promoviraju lokalnu kulturu i podupiru razvoj turizma. To je izuzetno korisno u selima s visokom stopom nezaposlenosti što je posljedica zatvaranja industrijskih pogona i poljoprivrednih poduzeća u kojima se stanovništvo zapošljavalo. Trenutno postoje i različiti ekološki pokreti i udruge koje rade na očuvanju prirodnih bogatstava za sljedeće generacije. Sudjelovanje u navedenim, ali i ostalim dobrovoljnim aktivnostima učvršćuje osjećaj zajedništva među lokalnom populacijom

Benzothiazinones Are Suicide Inhibitors of Mycobacterial Decaprenylphosphoryl-β-

Benzothiazinones (BTZs) are antituberculosis drug candidates with nanomolar bactericidal activity against tubercle bacilli. Here we demonstrate that BTZs are suicide substrates of the FAD-dependent decaprenylphosphoryl-beta-D-ribofuranose 2'-oxidase DprE1, an enzyme involved in cell-wall biogenesis. BTZs are reduced by DprE1 to an electrophile, which then reacts in a near-quantitative manner with an active-site cysteine of DprE1, thus providing a rationale for the extraordinary potency of BTZs. Mutant DprE1 enzymes from BTZ-resistant strains reduce BTZs to inert metabolites while avoiding covalent inactivation. Our results explain the basis for drug sensitivity and resistance to an exceptionally potent class of antituberculosis agents

Biological and structural characterization of theMycobacterium smegmatis nitroreductase NfnB, and its rolein benzothiazinone resistance

Tuberculosis is still a leading cause of death in developing countries, for which there is an urgent need for new pharmacological agents. The synthesis of the novel antimycobacterial drug class of benzothiazinones (BTZs) and the identification of their cellular target as DprE1 (Rv3790), a component of the decaprenylphosphoryl-b-D-ribose 2'-epimerase complex, have been reported recently. Here, we describe the identification and characterization of a novel resistance mechanism to BTZ in Mycobacterium smegmatis. The overexpression of the nitroreductase NfnB leads to the inactivation of the drug by reduction of a critical nitro-group to an amino-group. The direct involvement of NfnB in the inactivation of the lead compound BTZ043 was demonstrated by enzymology, microbiological assays and gene knockout experiments. We also report the crystal structure of NfnB in complex with the essential cofactor flavin mononucleotide, and show that a common amino acid stretch between NfnB and DprE1 is likely to be essential for the interaction with BTZ. We performed docking analysis of NfnB-BTZ in order to understand their interaction and the mechanism of nitroreduction. Although Mycobacterium tuberculosis seems to lack nitroreductases able to inactivate these drugs, our findings are valuable for the design of new BTZ molecules, which may be more effective in vivo

High Content Screening Identifies Decaprenyl-Phosphoribose 2′ Epimerase as a Target for Intracellular Antimycobacterial Inhibitors

A critical feature of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, the causative agent of human tuberculosis (TB), is its ability to survive and multiply within macrophages, making these host cells an ideal niche for persisting microbes. Killing the intracellular tubercle bacilli is a key requirement for efficient tuberculosis treatment, yet identifying potent inhibitors has been hampered by labor-intensive techniques and lack of validated targets. Here, we present the development of a phenotypic cell-based assay that uses automated confocal fluorescence microscopy for high throughput screening of chemicals that interfere with the replication of M. tuberculosis within macrophages. Screening a library of 57,000 small molecules led to the identification of 135 active compounds with potent intracellular anti-mycobacterial efficacy and no host cell toxicity. Among these, the dinitrobenzamide derivatives (DNB) showed high activity against M. tuberculosis, including extensively drug resistant (XDR) strains. More importantly, we demonstrate that incubation of M. tuberculosis with DNB inhibited the formation of both lipoarabinomannan and arabinogalactan, attributable to the inhibition of decaprenyl-phospho-arabinose synthesis catalyzed by the decaprenyl-phosphoribose 2′ epimerase DprE1/DprE2. Inhibition of this new target will likely contribute to new therapeutic solutions against emerging XDR-TB. Beyond validating the high throughput/content screening approach, our results open new avenues for finding the next generation of antimicrobials

Juraj Tesák Mošovský — a humanist whose works were forgotten twice

Juraj Tesák Mošovský was an important Protestant church dignitary and one of the most prolific humanist writers among Slovak authors who found professional employment in the Kingdom of Bohemia at the turn of the 17th century. In total, the professional literature lists more than 38 titles of his Czech and Latin as well as bilingual Czech-Latin writings. Tesák is the author of religious-educational moral treatises, reflections, sermons and occasional verse works. His work was mostly theological in nature and probably revealed Mošovský’s inclination towards Utraquism. Around 1577, he was consecrated (ordained) and signed the church order of Utraquist priests. Therefore, the well-known Jesuit censor Antonín Koniaš included Tesák’s writings in his index of forbidden books, and during the period of Counter-Reformation and recatholicisation in Bohemia, they were destroyed en masse. The study provides an overview of Mošovský’s prints, dividing them into two categories: the files of Tesák Mošovský which are not recorded in the indexes of prohibited books (11 items) and his unpreserved writings (21 items). A list of the prints that were published twice is also added (3 items). The initial analysis of what is known about the prints that were supposed to be destroyed (and have not been preserved to this day) showed that they were mostly prints that, according to Koniaš, contained heretical teachings that did not correspond to the teachings of the Catholic Church. Among them were also writings in which Tesák Mošovský expressed a positive attitude towards the persons who were considered heretics. Finally, there were prints that referred to Hussiteism and older Hussite songs. It is natural that these were the reasons why so many prints of J. Tesák Mošovský were condemned to destruction, and why even literary history during the period of socialism was not interested in them

Slovak humanist Ondrej Rochotský (ca. 1583-1623) and his works stored in the Wrocław University Library

Humanist poet Ondrej Rochotský (Andreas Rochotius) belongs to the relatively large group of Slovak humanist writers who lived and worked outside Slovakia and their relationship to Slovakia is only reflected in their work. His literary work (two theatre plays, professional literature, reflexive poetry and amount of congratulations, condolences and other occasional verses) as well as relationships with others, especially Czech humanistic writers, are very rich. His relationship with the Czech nobleman Karel the Elder from Žerotín (Karel starší so Žerotína) is particularly significant. This is probably the time of Karel’s stay in Wrocław in the years 1628-1633, when the Wrocław’s University Library (WUL; Biblioteka Uniwersytecka we Wrocławiu) received and have been storing convolute with a few printed works of O. Rochotský, with his handwritten dedication inside. The aim of the paper is to clarify literary activities of O. Rochotský, to analyse his personality at the background of the social, cultural and political context of the first three decade

Polonika w bibliotece Instytutu Słowiańskiego w Bratysławie

The library of the Slavic Institute in Bratislava whose origins date back to 1827 and is known by its unofficial name the „Štur’s library”, is now kept in the University Library in Bratislava, and represents a significant collection of Czech and Slovak, but also other Slavic literatures. The collection comprises of documents from the16th century to the 1870s. It not only illustrates the ideological orientation of the young intelligentsia of the first half of the 19th century (known as the „Štur’s generation”), mirroring their professional interests, but also bears witness to the literary life and purposeful search of relations with scientific authorities and other Slavic authors, who were nationally oriented. This study aims to be an overview-compilation, and is based on the print catalogue of this book fund, which strives to become a part of the national cultural heritage of Slovakia. It acquaints the reader with the history and founding of the library focusing on information on Polonica and their addition into the library’s collection.Biblioteka Instytutu Słowiańskiego w Bratysławie, której początki sięgają roku 1827, znana także pod mniej oficjalną nazwą „Biblioteka Štúra”, obecnie stanowi część zbiorów Biblioteki Uniwersyteckiej w Bratysławie. Tworzy ją znacząca kolekcja literatury w językach czeskim, słowackim i innych językach słowiańskich. Zawiera materiały od XVI do lat siedemdziesiątych XIX w. Zbiór ten stanowi nie tylko odzwierciedlenie orientacji politycznych i zainteresowań zawodowych młodej inteligencji pierwszej połowy XIX w. (znanej jako „pokolenie Štúra”), ale także świadectwo życia literackiego i relacji, jakie łączyły tę grupę z autorytetami naukowymi oraz innymi autorami słowiańskimi o orientacji narodowej. Niniejszy tekst ma charakter przeglądowo-kompilacyjny, oparty został na drukowanym katalogu wspomnianej kolekcji. Prowadzone są działania mające na celu włączenie jej do zasobu narodowego dziedzictwa kulturowego Słowacji. Autorka zapoznaje czytelnika z historią powstania biblioteki instytutowej, zwracając szczególną uwagę na polonika w omawianym zbiorze oraz na to, w jaki sposób trafiły do tej kolekcji

Reception of cultural and literary trends in the prints of Slovak authors active in Bohemia at the turn of the 16th century

At the turn of the 16th century due to variety of reasons related to the socio-political, educational, and religious situation in Hungary, relatively many natives from the area of today's Slovakia lived and permanently worked in Bohemia and Moravia. These were mostly Protestant scholars, writing and publishing their work in Bohemia. Due to the authors' origin, their works are also considered to be related to Slovakia. This paper illustrates the circumstances of the Slovaks' activity in Bohemia, and selectively presents the inspiration sources (the ancient sources, the Bible, the Renaissance authors) that these scholars used in their work, published largely in Bohemia or intended primarily for the Bohemian market and audience. It also reflects on societal, cultural, religious, and philosophical trends of Humanism

The Molecular and Cellular Effect of Homocysteine Metabolism Imbalance on Human Health

Homocysteine (Hcy) is a sulfur-containing non-proteinogenic amino acid derived in methionine metabolism. The increased level of Hcy in plasma, hyperhomocysteinemia, is considered to be an independent risk factor for cardio and cerebrovascular diseases. However, it is still not clear if Hcy is a marker or a causative agent of diseases. More and more research data suggest that Hcy is an important indicator for overall health status. This review represents the current understanding of molecular mechanism of Hcy metabolism and its link to hyperhomocysteinemia-related pathologies in humans. The aberrant Hcy metabolism could lead to the redox imbalance and oxidative stress resulting in elevated protein, nucleic acid and carbohydrate oxidation and lipoperoxidation, products known to be involved in cytotoxicity. Additionally, we examine the role of Hcy in thiolation of proteins, which results in their molecular and functional modifications. We also highlight the relationship between the imbalance in Hcy metabolism and pathogenesis of diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases, neurological and psychiatric disorders, chronic kidney disease, bone tissue damages, gastrointestinal disorders, cancer, and congenital defects