Lack of wastewater treatment in a small town drives the spread of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli in irrigation waters.

Antibiotic resistance (ABR) is a critical and growing global challenge, especially in low- and middle-income countries. Ecuador has made great progress in connecting households to piped water supplies; however, the collection and treatment of domestic wastewater has lagged. This infrastructural gap may be accelerating the spread of ABR into surface waters used downstream for irrigation.

Analysis of Antibiotic Resistance Genes (ARGs) across Diverse Bacterial Species in Shrimp Aquaculture.

There is little information available on antibiotic resistance (ABR) within shrimp aquaculture environments. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in shrimp farming operations in Atacames, Ecuador. Water samples ( = 162) and shrimp samples ( = 54) were collected from three shrimp farming operations.

Functional Characterization of the Lysosomal Peptide/Histidine Transporter PHT1 () by Solid Supported Membrane Electrophysiology (SSME).

The peptide/histidine transporter PHT1 () is expressed in the lysosomal membranes of immune cells where it plays an important role in metabolic and inflammatory signaling. PHT1 is an H-coupled/histidine symporter that can transport a wide range of oligopeptides, including a variety of bacterial-derived peptides. Moreover, it enables the scaffolding of various metabolic signaling molecules and interacts with key regulatory elements of the immune response.

Physiological and Molecular Function of the Sodium/Hydrogen Exchanger NHA2 (SLC9B2).

NHA2, also known as SLC9B2, is an orphan intracellular Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) that has been associated with arterial hypertension and diabetes mellitus in humans. The objective of this NCCR TransCure project was to define the physiological and molecular function of NHA2, to develop a high resolution kinetic transport assay for NHA2 and to identify specific and potent compounds targeting NHA2. In this review, we summarize the results of this highly interdisciplinary and interfaculty effort, led by the groups of Proffs.

Thiazides Attenuate Insulin Secretion Through Inhibition of Mitochondrial Carbonic Anhydrase 5b in β -Islet Cells in Mice.

Significance Statement: Thiazide diuretics (thiazides) are among the most widely prescribed drugs worldwide, but their use is associated with glucose intolerance and new-onset diabetes mellitus. The molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Our study reveals that thiazides attenuate insulin secretion through inhibition of the mitochondrial carbonic anhydrase isoform 5b (CA5b) in pancreatic β cells.

EBV-negative Fibrin-Associated Large B-Cell Lymphoma Arising in Thyroid Hyperplastic Nodule: Report of a Case and Literature Review.

Fibrin-associated large B-cell lymphoma is a rare microscopic-sized tumor, typically representing an unexpected finding at sites rich in chronic fibrin deposition. It is associated with Epstein-Barr virus, and has been reported to occur in a wide variety of anatomic sites and clinical scenarios. We report a case arising in a thyroid hyperplastic nodule, only the second case reported in this location.

The efficacy and safety of Yupingfeng Powder with variation in the treatment of allergic rhinitis: Study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is an upper airways chronic inflammatory disease mediated by IgE, which affects 10%-20% of the population. The mainstay for allergic rhinitis nowadays include steroids and antihistamines, but their effects are less than ideal. Many patients therefore seek Chinese medicine for treatment and Yupingfeng Powder is one of the most common formulae prescribed.

The Less Well-Known Little Brothers: The SLC9B/NHA Sodium Proton Exchanger Subfamily-Structure, Function, Regulation and Potential Drug-Target Approaches.

The SLC9 gene family encodes Na/H exchangers (NHEs), a group of membrane transport proteins critically involved in the regulation of cytoplasmic and organellar pH, cell volume, as well as systemic acid-base and volume homeostasis. NHEs of the SLC9A subfamily (NHE 1-9) are well-known for their roles in human physiology and disease. Much less is known about the two members of the SLC9B subfamily, NHA1 and NHA2, which share higher similarity to prokaryotic NHEs than the SLC9A paralogs.

A cross-country analysis on diversification, Sukuk investment, and the performance of Islamic banking systems under the COVID-19 pandemic.

This study investigates the relationship between diversification and Islamic banking systems' performance under the impact of the COVID-19 turmoil using a sample of 24 countries from 2013Q4 and 2020Q4. The findings indicate that the performance of Islamic banking systems is positively associated with sectoral diversification of Shari'ah-compliant financing and income diversification. Although this study confirms a negative impact of the COVID-19 shock, income diversification is found to mitigate the adverse effect of this health crisis on the performance of the Islamic banking systems.

Practical data mining and machine learning for optics applications: introduction to the feature issue.

Data mining algorithms utilize search techniques to explore hidden patterns and correlations in the data, which otherwise require a tremendous amount of human time to explore. This feature issue explores the use of such techniques to help understand the data, build better simulators, explain outlier behavior, and build better predictive models. We hope that this issue will spur discussions and expose a set of tools that can be useful to the optics community.