Community pharmacies: Key players in point-of-care diagnostics for STI screening in Africa.

Background: Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) rank in the top 5 disease categories for which adults in developing countries seek healthcare services. Community pharmacies offer clients convenience, proximity, extended opening hours, privacy, and efficiency, which could make them desirable locations for HIV and STI screening and treatment. We examined the feasibility of using point-of-care (POC) STI tests for screening HIV and other STIs at community pharmacies.

Autoantibodies in hospitalised patients with COVID-19.

Objectives: CD209L and its homologous protein CD209 act as alternative entry receptors for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and are highly expressed in the virally targeted tissues. We tested for the presence and clinical features of autoantibodies targeting these receptors and compared these with autoantibodies known to be associated with COVID-19.

Methods: Using banked samples ( = 118) from Johns Hopkins patients hospitalised with COVID-19, we defined autoantibodies against CD209 and CD209L by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Oral administration of astaxanthin mitigates chronological skin aging in mice.

Intrinsic skin aging is a chronological decline in skin texture and function influenced largely by genetic factors. Aged skin exhibits morphological alterations, including wrinkling, dryness, and roughness, along with dysfunctional changes in the skin barrier. In this study, the in vivo anti-intrinsic aging efficacy of dietary astaxanthin extracted from Haematococcus pluvialis on the skin was evaluated using aged C57BL/6 J mice.

Lymphogranuloma Venereum Surveillance in Chlamydia trachomatis Positive Male Rectal Swabs Collected from I Want The Kit in Maryland, United States.

Background: Infection with Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) can have distinct clinical presentations, such as trachoma, or lymphogranuloma venereum (LGV). Certain populations are at greater risk for LGV acquisition and transmission, which requires a longer duration of therapy than other urogenital CT sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Commercial assays are not available in the United States to distinguish LGV from non-LGV serovars.

Suspected Sinus Arrest After Sugammadex Administration: A Case Report.

We describe a case of profound bradyarrhythmia after sugammadex administration during ambulatory anesthesia. The patient was a 21-year-old man with autism spectrum disorder undergoing planned general anesthesia for dental treatment. After treatment completion, sugammadex was administered upon awakening, and sudden bradyarrhythmia appeared immediately.