The large number of inherited retinal disease genes (IRD), including the photopigment rhodopsin and the photoreceptor outer segment (OS) structural component peripherin 2 (PRPH2), has prompted interest in identifying common cellular mechanisms involved in degeneration. Although metabolic dysregulation has been shown to play an important role in the progression of the disease etiology, identifying a common regulator that can preserve the metabolic ecosystem is needed for future development of neuroprotective treatments. Here, we investigated whether retbindin (RTBDN), a rod-specific protein with riboflavin binding capability, and a regulator of riboflavin-derived cofactors flavin mononucleotide (FMN) and flavin adenine dinucleotide (FAD), is protective to the retina in different IRD models; one carrying the P23H mutation in rhodopsin (which causes retinitis pigmentosa) and one carrying the Y141C mutation in Prph2 (which causes a blended cone-rod dystrophy). RTBDN levels are significantly upregulated in both the rhodopsin (Rho) P23H/+ and Prph2Y141C/+ retinas. Rod and cone structural and functional degeneration worsened in models lacking RTBDN. In addition, removing Rtbdn worsened other phenotypes, such as fundus flecking. Retinal flavin levels were reduced in RhoP23H/+/Rtbdn-/- and Prph2Y141C/+/Rtbdn-/- retinas. Overall, these findings suggest that RTBDN may play a protective role during retinal degenerations that occur at varying rates and due to varying disease mechanisms.The nanoindentation loading response of elastoplastic materials was simulated by the finite element method (FEM). The influence of the Young's modulus E, yield stress σy, strain hardening exponent n and Poisson's ratio ν on the loading response was investigated. Based on an equivalent model, an equation with physical meaning was proposed to quantitatively describe the influence. The calculations agree well with the FEM simulations and experimental results in literature. Comparisons with the predictions using equations in the literature also show the reliability of the proposed equation. The investigations show that the loading curvature C increases with increasing E, σy, n and ν. Imidazole ketone erastin clinical trial The increase rates of C with E, σy, n and ν are different for their different influences on the flow stress after yielding. It is also found that the influence of one of the four mechanical parameters on C can be affected by the other mechanical parameters.Insect salivary glands play an important role for host feeding, specifically by secreting salivary proteins for digestion and potentially modulating host defenses. Compared to other hemipterans, the significance of salivary glands is less studied in the black-faced leafhopper, Graminella nigrifrons, a crop pest that vectors several agronomically important plant viruses. To identify functionally important genes in the salivary glands of the black-faced leafhopper, we compared transcriptomes between adult salivary glands (SG) and the remaining carcasses. We identified 14,297 salivary gland-enriched transcripts and 195 predicted secretory peptides (i.e., with a signal peptide and extracellular localization characteristics). Overall, the SG transcriptome included functions such as 'oxidoreduction', 'membrane transport', and 'ATP-binding', which might be important for the fundamental physiology of this tissue. We further evaluated transcripts with potential contributions in host feeding using RT-qPCR. Two SG-enriched transcripts (log2 fold change > 5), GnP19 and GnE63 (a putative calcium binding protein), were significantly upregulated in maize-fed adults relative to starved adults, validating their importance in feeding. The SG-enriched transcripts of the black-faced leafhopper could play a potential role for interacting with maize and could be targets of interest for further functional studies and improve pest control and disease transmission.Herein, we present an investigation on the origin of the magnetically induced optical transmission of composite films comprised of polydimethylsiloxane and magnetic nanofillers via experiment and simulation. Structured and unstructured films were used in the study, which were fabricated with and without magnetic fields, respectively. Altered optical transmittance was observed from both types of films when they were subjected to an external magnetic field. Numerical analyses were performed to investigate the effect of the particle movement under magnetic field and the film magnetostriction on the film optical transmittance. The simulation results show that the changed light transmission under magnetic field is mainly due to a variation in the film thickness resulting from the film magnetostriction. The ellipsometric analysis results confirm the altered film thickness in response to the external magnetic field, and the measurements of the film magnetostrictive stresses validate that there is magnetostriction in the magnetic composite films. Additionally, it is indicated that there might be some relationship between the magnetically induced optical transmission and the film magnetostrictive stress under certain conditions.Models to forecast slug populations make assumptions about growth and mortality in response to environmental factors. To refine these models, the growth trajectories and survival of Deroceras reticulatum, a worldwide pest, hatching in spring and autumn were compared at three rearing temperatures (ambient, 12 °C and 15 °C). Deroceras reticulatum reared under identical conditions showed great variation in growth and strong bimodality in growth rates. At all rearing temperatures, growth was influenced by hatching season; in all cases, fast growers dominated in autumn and slow growers dominated in spring. Survival was influenced by hatching season autumn-born slugs survived better at ambient temperatures, but spring-born slugs had better survival at 15 °C. Deroceras reticulatum may be partitioned into "slow growers" and "fast growers". Fast growers responded to warmer conditions, growing to large sizes. Slow growers, in contrast, gained weight at comparable rates to ambient reared slugs, regardless of the elevated constant temperatures.