Safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine immunization during pregnancy in 1024 pregnant women infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron virus in Shanghai, China.

Background: Large sample of pregnant women vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine has not been carried out in China. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 inactivated vaccine in pregnant women infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Methods: A total of 1,024 pregnant women and 120 newborns were enrolled in this study. 707 pregnant women received one to three doses of the inactivated COVID-19 vaccine, and 317 unvaccinated patients served as the control group. A comparison was made between their clinical and laboratory data at different stages of pregnancy. Results: The incidence rate of patients infected with Omicron variant in the first, the second, and the third trimesters of pregnancy was 27.5%, 27.0%, and 45.5% in patients during, respectively. The corresponding length of hospital stay was 8.7 ± 3.3 days, 9.5 ± 3.3 days, and 11 ± 4.3 days, respectively. The hospitalization time of pregnant women who received 3 doses of vaccine was (8.8 ± 3.3) days, which was significantly shorter than that of non-vaccinated women (11.0 ± 3.9) days. (P<0.0001). The positive rate of SARS-CoV-2 IgG in patients in the early stage of pregnancy was 28.8%, while that in patients in the late stage of pregnancy was 10.3%. However, three-doses of vaccination significantly increased the SARS-CoV-2 IgG positive rate to 49.5%. The hospitalization time of SARS-CoV-2 IgG-positive patients was shorter than that of negative patients (9.9 ± 3.5 days), which was 7.4 ± 2.0 days. 12.2% of vaccinated women experienced mild adverse reactions, manifested as fatigue (10.6%) and loss of appetite (1.6%). The vaccination of mother did not affect her choice of future delivery mode and the Apgar score of their newborn. All newborns tested negative for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid, as well as for IgG and IgM antibodies. Conclusions: Women in the third trimester of pregnancy are highly susceptible to infection with the Omicron strain. The vaccination of pregnant women with COVID-19 vaccine can accelerate the process of eliminating SARS-CoV-2 virus, and is considered safe for newborns. The recommended vaccination includes three doses.

Photodynamic Therapy Using HMME for Port-Wine Stains: Clinical Effectiveness and Sonographic Appearance.

This study aims at exploring the clinical efficacy and sonographic changes of photodynamic therapy (PDT) using Hematoporphyrin Monomethyl Ether (HMME) for the treatment of port-wine stains (PWS). Forty-five patients with PWS were recruited between March 2017 and June 2018 from the Department of Dermatology of The Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University. Five cases were of the pink type, thirty-nine cases were of the purple-red type, and one case was of the thickened type. All patients received three treatment sessions of PDT. After covering normal skin outside the treated area, patients received an intravenous injection of 5 mg/kg HMME within 20 minutes. The affected areas were exposed to a 532 nm LED light and were kept vertically at a distance of 10 cm. The irradiation energy density was set between 80 and 110 J/cm2 in 15-minute sessions. Intermittent power density adjustment was performed at a rate of 5 mW/cm2, and the treatment was withheld when the endpoint reaction appeared. Three follow-ups were performed before and after treatment, respectively, and the efficacy, thickness, and density of skin before and after treatment were evaluated with high-frequency ultrasound. The overall efficacy rate was 97.78% in forty-five cases after treatment for three sessions. Efficacy was related to age (P = 0.029) and lesion severity (P < 0.001). There were significant differences in the efficacy between the groups of <18 years old, 18-29 years old, and >29 years old (P = 0.029). A marked decrease in the numbers of distorted enlarged blood vessels per unit of the lesion was observed under high-frequency ultrasound. There were significant differences in skin thickness and skin density before and after treatment (F = 14.528, 5.428, P < 0.001). The swelling was reported to varying degrees in the treated areas in 23 patients with cheek lesion and in 6 frontal lesions. Hyperpigmentation after inflammation was observed in four patients that faded spontaneously after two months. In conclusion, photodynamic therapy for the treatment of PWS using HMME is effective and safe with few adverse reactions. Moreover, monitoring the changes in skin thickness and density of lesion tissue using high-frequency ultrasound can objectively evaluate the clinical efficacy of HMME photodynamic therapy and provide the basis for the formulation of individualized photodynamic therapy.

Programmed cell death protein 1 promotes hepatitis B virus transmission through the regulation of ERK1/2-mediated trophoblasts differentiation.

PURPOSE: The purpose of our research is to evaluate the mechanism of PD-1 in the promotion of HBV transmission. METHODS: HBV was used to infect two human choriocarcinoma cell line, including JEG-3, as well as BeWo. We used PCR and western blotting to detect PD-1 gene and protein expression levels in cells. Stable knockdown of the PD-1 gene in JEG-3 cells was obtained by lentiviral transfection. Trophoblast cell proliferation was evaluated using CCK8 and flow cytometry. The concentration of HBV antibody in the cell supernatant was measured by ELISA. DNA was then extracted from the cells and the copy number of the HBV virus was detected by PCR. Finally, ERK1/2 expression was detected by western blot. RESULTS: High PD-1 gene expression in HBV-infected trophoblasts and the knockdown of PD-1 gene can, respectively, improve the proliferation of HBV-infected trophoblasts and reduce viral replication in trophoblasts. In addition, PD-1 and ERK1/2 proteins were co-expressed in HBV-infected trophoblasts and inhibited the activation of ERK1/2 pathway in HBV-infected trophoblasts. ERK1/2 expression significantly increased after PD-1 knockdown. Therefore, PD-1 might be an important protein in trophoblast cells infected with HBV. CONCLUSIONS: PD-1 promoted HBV transmission through regulating ERK1/2-mediated trophoblasts differentiation. Therefore, our research may provide new ideas and methods for preventing mother-to-child transmission of HBV infection during pregnancy.

Detection and allergen analysis of serum IgE in pediatric patients with chronic urticaria.

OBJECTIVE: To detect the serum IgE and allergen-specific IgE levels of pediatric patients with chronic urticaria, and to analyze the distribution characteristics of allergens. METHODS: Ninety-six patients with chronic urticaria admitted in our hospital, which were not administered antihistamine 10 days before detection or glucocorticoid 20 days before detection, were selected. Their serum IgE levels were measured and 34 antigens were analyzed. RESULTS: Ninety-two of the ninety-six patients were detected as serum IgE positive (positive rate: 95.83%). The positive serum IgE levels did not significantly change along with season (P>0.05). The positive detection rate of antigens was 95.83% (92/96), and the top five potent antigens included house dust mite, flour mite, histamine, egg yolk and egg white. CONCLUSION: Dust mite, as the most common antigen for pediatric patients with chronic urticaria, is prone to variations of specific IgE positive rate along with season. The results may be associated with the persistent warm and humid climate in this region.