Different Levels Of Aggressiveness Research Articles

Searching for Novel HDAC6/Hsp90 Dual Inhibitors with Anti-Prostate Cancer Activity: In Silico Screening and In Vitro Evaluation.

Prostate cancer (PCA) is one of the most prevalent types of male cancers. While current treatments for early-stage PCA are available, their efficacy is limited in advanced PCA, mainly due to drug resistance or low efficacy. In this context, novel valuable therapeutic opportunities may arise from the combined inhibition of histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) and heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90). These targets are mutually involved in the regulation of several processes in cancer cells, and their inhibition is demonstrated to provide synergistic effects against PCA. On these premises, we performed an extensive in silico virtual screening campaign on commercial compounds in search of dual inhibitors of HDAC6 and Hsp90. In vitro tests against recombinant enzymes and PCA cells with different levels of aggressiveness allowed the identification of a subset of compounds with inhibitory activity against HDAC6 and antiproliferative effects towards LNCaP and PC-3 cells. None of the candidates showed appreciable Hsp90 inhibition. However, the discovered compounds have low molecular weight and a chemical structure similar to that of potent Hsp90 blockers. This provides an opportunity for structural and medicinal chemistry optimization in order to obtain HDAC6/Hsp90 dual modulators with antiproliferative effects against prostate cancer. These findings were discussed in detail in the study.

Machine learning-based aggressiveness assessment model construction for crabs: A case study of swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus

Aggressiveness trait-based selection is crucial for alleviating interspecies cannibalism in economic crab species and enhancing survival rates in aquaculture. However, there is a lack of efficient and simple methods for assessing aggressiveness. In this study, we measured aggressiveness of the swimming crab Portunus trituberculatus through repeated mirror tests and fighting experiments. Factor analysis and the K-means algorithm were used to assess aggressiveness quantitatively and qualitatively. A combination of multiple linear regression and support vector machine (SVM) analyses was employed to construct an aggressiveness assessment model for swimming crabs and explore the relationship between aggressiveness and fighting ability. The results showed significant correlations among repeated aggressive behaviors (attacking, chela extending, defending, crossing, reverse walking, and freezing). Aggression score was significantly correlated with fighting behaviors, and there were significant differences in fighting abilities among different levels of aggressiveness. This suggested that aggressive behaviors are consistent within individuals and that aggressiveness, as a personal trait, affects the fighting ability of swimming crabs. Aggression score (Y) and clustering results of K-means can serve as assessment indicators of aggressiveness. The predictive variables for the quantitative assessment model were relative movement distance (X1) and freezing duration (X2). The adjusted R-square of the optimized quantitative model was 0.72, it also had the smallest Sigma, AIC, MSE, and RMSE values and the best fitting regression equation, which was Y = 0.023X1 – 0.001X2 – 0.002. The predictor variables for the qualitative assessment model were relative movement distance, freezing frequency, and duration. SVM was used to construct the qualitative model, and the prediction accuracy was 92%, sensitivity was 84%, and specificity was 100%, indicating the model has a good classification and prediction effect. The machine learning-based aggressiveness assessment model constructed in this study provides a behavioral method for the selection and high-throughput measurement of economic crab species with excellent aggressiveness traits, giving it important industrial application value.

The value of apparent diffusion coefficient values in predicting Gleason grading of low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer

ObjectivesTo investigate the diagnostic performance of the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) for low to intermediate-risk prostate cancer (PCa), as well as its correlation with the prognostic Gleason score (GS).Materials and methodsRetrospective analysis of MRI images and relevant clinical data from patients with prostate disease. The differences in ADC between different GS groups were compared, and the efficacy of ADC in PCa diagnosis were analyzed. Furthermore, the diagnostic performance of the mean ADC (ADCmean) and minimum ADC (ADCmin) values was compared.ResultsThere were 1414 patients with 1631 lesions. In terms of GS, both ADCmin and ADCmean values of the GS 4 + 3 group were significantly lower than those of the GS 3 + 4 group, GS 3 + 3 group, and the benign group, with all differences being statistically significant (p < 0.01). The AUC values for diagnosing PCa based on ADCmin and ADCmean were 0.914 and 0.944, respectively. The corresponding diagnostic thresholds were 0.703 × 10−3 mm2/s for ADCmin and 0.927 × 10−3 mm2/s for ADCmean. The magnitudes of ADCmin and ADCmean values exhibited a negative correlation with GS values (ρ = −0.750, p < 0.001; ρ = −0.752, p < 0.001).ConclusionsADC values demonstrate an inverse relationship with the invasiveness of PCa, indicating that higher invasiveness is associated with lower ADC values. Additionally, ADC values exhibit high diagnostic potential, sensitivity, and specificity for distinguishing between GS 3 + 4 and GS 4 + 3 lesions. Moreover, the diagnostic value of ADCmean is even more significant, highlighting its crucial role in the diagnosis of low to intermediate-risk PCa.Critical relevance statementADC values are a valuable tool for distinguishing different levels of aggressiveness in PCa. They help in the preoperative assessment of the biological characteristics of PCa, allowing clinicians to develop personalized treatment strategies, effectively mitigating the risk of unnecessary interventions.Key PointsThe preoperative GS is crucial for planning the clinical treatment of PCa.The invasiveness of PCa is inversely correlated with ADC values.ADC values play a crucial role in the accurate preoperative evaluation of low to intermediate-risk PCa, thus aiding clinicians in developing tailored treatment plans.Graphical

Diffuse tumors: Molecular determinants shared by different cancer types

Most cancer types have both diffuse and non-diffuse subtypes, which have rather distinct morphologies, namely scattered tiny tumors vs. one solid tumor, and different levels of aggressiveness. However, the causes for forming such distinct subtypes remain largely unknown. Using the diffuse and non-diffuse gastric cancers (GCs) as the illustrative example, we present a computational study based on the transcriptomic data from the TCGA and GEO databases, to address the following questions: (i) What are the key molecular determinants that give rise to the distinct morphologies between diffuse and non-diffuse cancers? (ii) What are the main reasons for diffuse cancers to be generally more aggressive than non-diffuse ones of the same cancer type? (iii) What are the reasons for their distinct immunoactivities? And (iv) why do diffuse cancers on average tend to take place in younger patients? The study is conducted using the framework we have previously developed for elucidation of general drivers cancer formation and development. Our main discoveries are: (a) the level of (poly-) sialic acids deployed on the surface of cancer cells is a significant factor contributing to questions (i) and (ii); (b) poly-sialic acids synthesized by ST8SIA4 are the key to question (iii); and (c) the circulating growth factors specifically needed by the diffuse subtype dictate the answer to question (iv). All these predictions are substantiated by published experimental studies. Our further analyses on breast, prostate, lung, liver, and thyroid cancers reveal that these discoveries generally apply to the diffuse subtypes of these cancer types, hence indicating the generality of our discoveries.

Evaluating Maximum Diameters of Tumor Sub-regions for Survival Prediction in Glioblastoma Patients via Machine Learning, Considering Resection Status

In recent decades, there have been significant advancements in medical diagnosis and treatment techniques. However, there is still much progress to be made in effectively managing a wide range of diseases, particularly cancer. Timely diagnosis of cancer remains a critical step towards successful treatment, as it significantly impacts patients’ chances of survival. Among various types of cancer, glioma stands out as the most common primary brain tumor, exhibiting different levels of aggressiveness. One of the monitoring techniques is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that provides a precise visual representation of the tumor and its sub-regions (edema (ED), enhancing tumor (ET), and non-enhancing necrotic tumor core (NEC)), enabling monitoring of its location, shape, and sub- regional characteristics. In this study, we aim to investigate the underlying relationship between the maximumdiameters of tumor sub-regions and patients’ overall survival (OS) in glioblastoma cases. Using an MRI dataset of glioblastoma patients, we categorized them based on resection status: gross total resection (GTR) and unknown (NA). By employing the Euclidean distance algorithm, we estimated sub-regions’ maximum diameters. Machine learning algorithms were used to explore the correlation between sub-regions’ maximum diameters and survival outcomes. The results of the univariate prediction models showed that tumor sub-regions’ maximum diameters have a noticeable correlation with the survival rates among patients with unknown resection status with the average spearman correlation of -0.254. Also, addition of the sub-regions’ maximum diameter feature to the radiomics increased the accuracy of ML algorithms in predicting the survival rates with an average of 4.58%.

Особенности совладающего поведения у сотрудников правоохранительных органов с разным уровнем агрессии

The article is devoted to the problem of coping behavior among law enforcement officers with different levels of aggression. The main factors of the subject's choice of a certain type of coping behavior are highlighted. The official statistics of complaints of persons serving sentences in places of deprivation of liberty, complaints of ill-treatment by law enforcement agencies are given. Attention is paid to the concepts of “coping” and “coping behavior”. The main traditional classifications of coping strategies are given.

Characterization and biological applications of gonadal extract of Paracentrotus lividus collected along the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, Egypt.

Marine invertebrates represent a valuable reservoir of pharmaceutical bioactive compounds with potential relevance to various medical applications. These compounds exhibit notable advantages when compared to their terrestrial counterparts, in terms of their potency, activity, and mechanism of action. Within this context, the present work aimed to extract, chemically characterize, and investigate the bioactivity of the gonadal extract of the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus (P. lividus) collected along the Mediterranean coast of Alexandria, Egypt. Fractions of the gonadal extract were characterized by Spectrophotometry and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and their bioactivities were investigated in vitro. The analysis supported the extract richness of carotenoids and bioactive compounds. The extract showed promising anticancer activity against three different breast cancer cell lines with different levels of aggressiveness and causative factors, namely MDA-MB-231, MDA-MB-453, and HCC-1954. Gene expression analysis using RT-qPCR showed that P. lividus extract inhibited the expression of crucial factors involved in cell cycle regulation and apoptosis. In addition, the extract significantly inhibited the lipo-polysaccharides (LPS) induced inflammation in the RAW264.7 macrophage cell line and exerted anti-bacterial activity against the Gram-negative bacteria Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Collectively, these results demonstrated the chemical richness and the wide-scale applicability of P. lividus gonadal extract as an anti-cancer, anti-bacterial, and anti-inflammatory natural extract.

Priming corn resistance to Goss’s wilt using a weakly aggressive strain of Clavibacter nebraskensis

Goss’s wilt, caused by the gram-positive bacterium Clavibacter nebraskensis, has become one of the most widely spread corn diseases in the USA and Canada. Considered as a relatively new disease, with limited knowledge about the more recently renamed pathogen causing it is, it is today a serious yield-limiting factor in corn crops in North America. The diversity of C. nebraskensis strains translates into the differential plant responses it causes, ranging from hypersensitive-like response to partial resistance, or otherwise susceptibility expressed as dark, water-soaked spots and shiny patches of dried bacterial ooze on the lesions. Weakly aggressive strains of C. nebraskensis typically appear as the season winds down and the crop is about to be harvested, whereas highly aggressive strains can be found at any point during the growing season. Previous research showed that plant’s ethylene and reactive oxygen species (ROS) are essential in limiting the spread of Goss's wilt symptoms near infection sites by triggering programmed cell death (PCD). Preliminary observations that certain strains induce strong defense responses with very little to no symptoms fed the idea to use them for disease resistance priming. The induction of biosynthetic or responsive genes of ethylene, ROS, and salicylic acid (SA) both at the local and distal tissues is in line with the limited disease symptoms development in response to priming with the weakly aggressive strain before further inoculation with a highly aggressive one. The results further expand our understanding of differential host responses to strains with different levels of aggressiveness. The priming process led to an inhibition of the elongated lesions in the susceptible corn plants in comparison with the unprimed plants. The expression patters of a lectin receptor-like kinase, Salt Intolerance 2 (ZmSIT2), and blue copper binding protein (ZmBCP) suggests them as key mediators of ethylene and ROS homeostasis in corn tissues upon infection. This adds to the pool of knowledge on corn defenses against bacterial pathogens and the mechanism of its biopriming, which could serve as an environment-friendly alternative method to control Goss’s wilt.

Does Variation in Call Rate Affect the Response of Territorial Males in the Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio)?

Males of the Strawberry Poison Frog (Oophaga pumilio) use acoustic signals during courtship and territorial interactions. In these contexts, spectro-temporal characteristics of the calls provide information on body size, territory quality, and dominance to conspecifics. Previous research on this species has associated low-rate territorial calls produced by resident males with greater aggressiveness. However, how variation in call rate of intruding males affects the response of the territorial males has not been tested experimentally. We evaluated the effect of different call-rate stimuli (low, average, and high call rate) on the acoustic and behavioral responses of territorial males of the Strawberry Poison Frog using playback experiments to simulate territorial male intrusions. We found that territorial males lowered their call rate in response to playbacks with high and average call rate. In addition, territorial males approached three times more, closer, and faster to the average and low call-rate playback stimuli than to high call-rate stimulus. Males also responded, vocalizing faster to the average and low call-rate playback stimuli than to high call-rate stimulus. Our results suggest that different call rates correlate with different levels of aggressiveness in males of the Strawberry Poison Frog. Therefore, the observed behavior supports the hypothesis that a low call rate indicates higher aggressiveness in male–male interactions.

Ectopic Cushing’s syndrome: clinical, diagnostic, treatment and follow-up outcomes of 12 cases of lung ectopic ACTH

Summary Ectopic Cushing’s syndrome (ECS) is a rare disease associated with significant comorbidity. Among the causes of Cushing's syndrome, adrenocorticotropic hormone-producing extrapituitary tumours are rarely reported. This low frequency makes it difficult for the physician to acquire experience in its management. In this report, we aimed to describe the clinical presentation, diagnostic approach and treatment modalities of 12 patients with ECS treated in a single tertiarycentre over a 17-year period. Although they can appear in different locations through the neuroendocrine system, lung tumours are the most frequently reported, as it occurs in our series. They can show different levels of aggressiveness and mild to severe clinical course. Therefore, distinguishing Cushing's disease can be challenging and sometimes requires more specific techniques such as invasive tests or no conventional imaging. Treatment includes controlling both hypercortisolism and neoplastic disease, and multidisciplinary management is recommended. Learning points Ectopic Cushing's syndrome (ECS) accounts for 15% of endogenous Cushing's syndromes. Its infrequency implies that both diagnosis and treatment can be a challenge for clinicians without experience in its management. The most common location is the lung. Although older series reported small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) as the main ECS-producing tumour, currently most cases are attributed to lung carcinoids. Low-grade tumours (lung carcinoids) present themselves with a more subtle and gradual hypercortisolism, and clinically this can be difficult to differentiate from hypercortisolism due to CD. In contrast, high-grade tumours (SCLC) show severe hypercortisolism with rapid evolution. The diagnostic approach is complex especially when the tumour is not previously known and the clinical presentation is subtle. Functional tests are mandatory in these cases, and nuclear medicine imaging can help when conventional imaging tests fail to identify the tumour. ECS treatment includes a wide variety of modalities oriented to treat both the excess of cortisol and the tumour itself. The tumour prognosis depends fundamentally on the type of adrenocorticotropic hormone-secreting tumour. Expert and multidisciplinary team is essential for successfully treating these complex and ill patients.

Identification of cassava black stem and root rot agents in Thailand

Cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) black stem and root rot (BSRR) caused by complex fungi is one of the most serious fungal disease of cassava in Thailand. The objective of this study was to identify the causal agent of BSRR disease of cassava in Nakhon Ratchasima province, Thailand. From June 2015 to May 2018, the outbreak areas in three districts of Nakhon Ratchasima province were surveyed for cassava plants with the characteristic symptoms. From 1800 diseased samples, 139 fungal pathogens were isolated and separated by morphological traits. Among them, 33 fungal isolates were subsequently tested for pathogenicity on detached stems and roots of CMR 43-08-89, a susceptible cassava cultivar, and proved to be pathogenic with different levels of aggressiveness. Next, PCR amplification of DNA of eight pathogenic isolates with high aggressiveness using two sets of universal primers ITS1/ITS4 and Ef1-688F/Ef1-1251R, revealed that the TEF1-α gene region could be used for the identification and classification at the species level. The analysis results fit well with that of the morphological studies on growth and colonial characteristics of the eight isolates. Based on the GenBank database, they were identified as Lasiodiplodia theobromae, L. euphorbiaceicola and Neoscytalidium dimidiatum.

Comparative Penicillium spp. Transcriptomics: Conserved Pathways and Processes Revealed in Ungerminated Conidia and during Postharvest Apple Fruit Decay.

Blue mold, caused by Penicillium spp., is an impactful postharvest disease resulting in significant economic losses due to reduced pome fruit quality and mycotoxin contamination. Using two Penicillium species with different levels of aggressiveness, transcriptomics were implemented in order to identify genes expressed during apple fruit decay and loci expressed in ungerminated conidia. Total RNA was isolated from ungerminated conidia and decayed apple fruit infected with P. expansum R19 or P. polonicum RS1. There were 2442 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the R19 and RS1 in apple. Comparisons within species between apple and conidia revealed 4404 DEGs for R19 and 2935 for RS1, respectively. Gene ontology (GO) analysis revealed differential regulation in fungal transport and metabolism genes during decay, suggesting a flux in nutrient acquisition and detoxification strategies. In R19, the oxidoreductase GO category comprised 20% of all DEG groups in apple verses conidia. Ungerminated conidia from both species showed DEGs encoding the glyoxylate shunt and beta-oxidation, specifying the earliest metabolic requirements for germination. This is the first study to identify pre-loaded transcripts in conidia from blue mold fungi, reveal unique genes between species expressed during apple decay, and show the expression dynamics of known fungal virulence factors. These findings will enable development of targeted approaches for blue mold abatement strategies.

Cascading indirect genetic effects in a clonal vertebrate.

Understanding how individual differences arise and how their effects propagate through groups are fundamental issues in biology. Individual differences can arise from indirect genetic effects (IGE): genetically based variation in the conspecifics with which an individual interacts. Using a clonal species, the Amazon molly (Poecilia formosa), we test the hypothesis that IGE can propagate to influence phenotypes of the individuals that do not experience them firsthand. We tested this by exposing genetically identical Amazon mollies to conspecific social partners of different clonal lineages, and then moving these focal individuals to new social groups in which they were the only member to have experienced the IGE. We found that genetically different social environments resulted in the focal animals experiencing different levels of aggression, and that these IGE carried over into new social groups to influence the behaviour of naive individuals. These data reveal that IGE can cascade beyond the individuals that experience them. Opportunity for cascading IGE is ubiquitous, especially in species with long-distance dispersal or fission-fusion group dynamics. Cascades could amplify (or mitigate) the effects of IGE on trait variation and on evolutionary trajectories. Expansion of the IGE framework to include cascading and other types of carry-over effects will therefore improve understanding of individual variation and social evolution and allow more accurate prediction of population response to changing environments.

Order submission, information asymmetry, and tick size

Our study investigates traders' order submission strategies with varying market conditions under information asymmetry. It examines how a reduction in tick size affects informed traders' order choices in response to changes in market conditions and subsequently influences the information content of the limit order book on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. We quantify the permanent price impact of orders with different levels of aggressiveness to measure the information content of different kinds of orders before and after a reduction in tick size. The results show that market orders and limit orders placed within or at the best bid and offer (BBO) are more informative than limit orders placed behind the BBO. Moreover, when the quoted spread is wider (narrower) and volatility is low (high), the information content of limit orders placed within or at the BBO is larger (smaller) than market orders, providing evidence that informed traders' order choice on market orders or limit orders is a trade-off between transaction costs and adverse selection costs. We further observe that the information content increases in market orders but decreases in limit orders placed within or at the BBO when the quoted spread becomes narrower and volatility changes from low to high after tick size reduction. This suggests that informed traders tend to shift from limit orders to market orders as transaction costs decrease and adverse selection costs increase, transactions become more informative, which reduces the information content of the limit order book.

Abstract 5069: Delivering docetaxel and curcumin via a nano-combination-therapy for modulating the progression of neuroblastoma

Abstract Introduction: Neuroblastoma (NB) is a form of extracranial tumor derived from the sympathetic nervous system that affects most often infants and young children. It is a very heterogeneous tumor with different levels of aggressiveness. Despite the multiple therapeutic strategies (i.e. aggressive chemotherapy, surgery, radiotherapy, immunotherapy), the outcome in advanced stages or recurrent diseases is negative. New strategies are needed to improve the therapeutic efficacy of existing drugs and reduce their toxicity. Nanotechnology represents a good tool for reaching this goal. Taken this in mind, the focus of this experimental work was to engineer polymeric biodegradable nanomedicines for co-delivering anti-inflammatory and chemotherapeutic molecules to NB malignant masses. More specifically, the work focused on the synthesis, physico-chemical and biopharmaceutical characterization, in vitro testing and in vivo validation of nanomedicines loaded with the cytotoxic drug Docetaxel (DTXL) and the natural anti-inflammatory compound, Curcumin (CURC). Methods: Four configurations of Spherical Polymeric Nanoparticles (SPNs) - loaded with CURC (CURC-SPNs), loaded with DTXL (DTXL-SPNs), loaded with the combination thereof (CURC/DTXL-SPNs), and empty (SPNs) - were synthesized using an oil-in water emulsion/solvent evaporation technique. SPNs size, zeta potential, and polydispersity index (PDI) were measured by dynamic light scattering. The toxicity of SPNs was determined by an MTT assay on the human NB cell line SH-SY5Y. For in vivo efficacy and biodistribution experiments, homozygous CD1 nu/nu athymic female mice (4 to 6-weeks old) were orthotopically injected with SH-SY5Y cells in the left adrenal gland. Results: Empty, DTXL-SPNs, CURC-SPNs, and CURC/DTXL-SPNs were characterized by a narrow size distribution (PdI &amp;lt; 0.15) with an average hydrodynamic diameter of about 185 nm. All the formulations showed a negative surface ζ-potential, associated with the carboxylate groups in the DSPE-PEG coating. A biphasic release profile was observed for all the 3 formulations, with almost 90% of the total drug mass released within the first 24 hours. In vivo results indicated that mice treated with CURC/DTXL -SPNs had a significant increase in life span as compared to untreated mice (control) (p=0.0002), mice treated with CURC-SPNs (p=0.0205), DTXL-SPNs (p=0.0391), and free DTXL (p=0.0054). Biodistribution experiments showed a 2% ID/g accumulation of the injected dose per tumor mass, regardless of the tumor development stage. This behavior is in agreement with results from a longitudinal Magnetic Resonance Imaging analysis of the malignant masses. Conclusion: The obtained results would suggest that nanomedicines could effectively delivery two therapeutic molecules within the malignant mass and modulate its progression leading to a significant increase in overall survival. Citation Format: Agnese Fragassi, Martina Di Francesco, Fabio Pastorino, Miguel Ferreira, Valentina Di Francesco, Anna Lisa Palange, Christian Celia, Luisa Di Marzio, Michele Cilli, Veronica Bensa, Mirco Ponzoni, Paolo Decuzzi. Delivering docetaxel and curcumin via a nano-combination-therapy for modulating the progression of neuroblastoma [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2022; 2022 Apr 8-13. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2022;82(12_Suppl):Abstract nr 5069.

A nuclear‑hydrogen hybrid energy system with large-scale storage: A study in optimal dispatch and economic performance in a real-world market

A study in optimal dispatch and economic analysis of a novel nuclear hybrid energy system (NHES) with large-scale hydrogen storage and a novel control scheme is conducted. The control scheme makes charge and discharge decisions by using the real-time electricity price relative to the historical price distribution. The pricing data is taken from the ERCOT Houston and West load zones with different price oscillations. Six case control studies with different levels of aggressiveness were chosen for each load zone for a total of 12 case studies. It is found that in a high price volatility load zone, a more aggressive control strategy maximizes revenue, while in a less oscillatory load zone, a moderate control strategy performs better. The NHES can store energy when the price is low and sell additional electricity when the price is high, as well as participate in the ancillary services market. Due to these advantages, the NHES can generate 10–40 million USD more revenue annually than a stand-alone nuclear plant. Due to higher costs, the NHES has a higher LCOE (81.36 USD/MWh) than a stand-alone plant (68.66 USD/MWh); however, the LCOE of the NHES is still comparable to other new forms of electricity generation. It is found that both the NHES and the stand-alone plant are not economical in the existing electricity market. Due to the extra revenue generated, the hybrid system has a positive annual cashflow whereas the stand-alone plant does not. It is found that the hybrid plant needs less cost subsidy than a stand-alone plant to become economical.

Особенности самооценки, тревожности и эмпатии у младших школьников с разным уровнем агрессии

The article describes aggressive behavior in younger schoolchildren based on the use of a map of observations of manifestations of aggression, compiled on the basis of the Bass-Darky questionnaire and intended for teachers, as well as on the basis of the projective method “Hand-test” (adaptation by T. N. Kurbatova). Differences in self-esteem, anxiety and empathy in younger schoolchildren with different levels of aggression were studied. Significant differences in self-esteem and empathy were found in children of primary school age with different levels of aggression. There were no significant differences in the indicator and level of anxiety among younger schoolchildren with different levels of aggression.

ПСИХОЛОГИЧЕСКИЕ ОСОБЕННОСТИ РАННИХ ДЕТСКИХ ВОСПОМИНАНИЙ У ВЗРОСЛЫХ С РАЗНЫМ УРОВНЕМ АГРЕССИВНОСТИ

The article presents the results of a comparative empirical study of meaningful differences in early childhood memories of adults with different levels of aggression. It has been proven that more aggressive subjects in their early childhood memories often have neurotic relationships with the mother, a passive model of behavior, and negative types of events. Less aggressive subjects significantly more often show in their early memories signs of successful socialization, an active type of response, and more harmonious relations with the environment

Growth modulation and metabolic responses of Ganoderma boninense to salicylic acid stress.

Various phenolic compounds have been screened against Ganoderma boninense, the fungal pathogen causing basal stem rot in oil palms. In this study, we focused on the effects of salicylic acid (SA) on the growth of three G. boninense isolates with different levels of aggressiveness. In addition, study on untargeted metabolite profiling was conducted to investigate the metabolomic responses of G. boninense towards salicylic acid. The inhibitory effects of salicylic acid were both concentration- (P < 0.001) and isolate-dependent (P < 0.001). Also, growth-promoting effect was observed in one of the isolates at low concentrations of salicylic acid where it could have been utilized by G. boninense as a source of carbon and energy. Besides, adaptation towards salicylic acid treatment was evident in this study for all isolates, particularly at high concentrations. In other words, inhibitory effect of salicylic acid treatment on the fungal growth declined over time. In terms of metabolomics response to salicylic acid treatment, G. boninense produced several metabolites such as coumarin and azatyrosine, which suggests that salicylic acid modulates the developmental switch in G. boninense towards the defense mode for its survival. Furthermore, the liquid chromatography time-of-flight mass spectrometry (LC-TOF-MS) analysis showed that the growth of G. boninense on potato dextrose agar involved at least four metabolic pathways: amino acid metabolism, lipid pathway, tryptophan pathway and phenylalanine pathway. Overall, there were 17 metabolites that contributed to treatment separation, each with P<0.005. The release of several antimicrobial metabolites such as eudistomin I may enhance G. boninense’s competitiveness against other microorganisms during colonisation. Our findings demonstrated the metabolic versatility of G. boninense towards changes in carbon sources and stress factors. G. boninense was shown to be capable of responding to salicylic acid treatment by switching its developmental stage.

Leaf anthracnose and defoliation of blueberry caused by Colletotrichum helleniense in Northern Italy

Highbush blueberry is an increasingly important crop due to its economic value and demonstrated health benefits of blueberries. Leaf spots are considered as minor diseases of blueberry plants, but they adversely affect blueberry productivity, causing reduced photosynthetic activity, flower bud formation and berry production. Surveys of blueberry crops were conducted in Piedmont, Northern Italy, during 2019-2020. Fungi isolated from leaf spots of the blueberry cultivar ‘Blue Ribbon’ were identified as Colletotrichum helleniense through a robust multi-locus phylogeny. Eight genomic loci were considered: tub, gapdh, act, cal, his3, chs-1, ApMat and gs. Morphological characters of a representative strain were assessed. Pathogenicity was confirmed on four blueberry cultivars, although with different levels of aggressiveness to the cultivars. This study shows the importance of a polyphasic approach to investigate species of Colletotrichum, and the relevance of molecular tools for the species-level characterization within the ‘Kahawae’ clade. This is the first report of Colletotrichum helleniense causing leaf anthracnose on Vaccinium corymbosum.