We isolated 30 Trichomonas vaginalis for the PCR detection from the gynecological outpatients in the Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University using the specific 16s rDNA primers of Mycoplasma hominis. The results showed that there were 25 cases of Mycoplasma hominis infection, with the infection rate of 83.33%. This gave a clew that the symbiosis of Trichomonas vaginalis with Mycoplasma hominis may be of certain generality in China. We sequenced the ferredoxin gene of 10 Trichomonas vaginalis where 5 Mycoplasma hominis were positive and five negative, and found that the ferredoxin (Fd) gene of the 10 Trichomonas vaginalis were exactly the same. But compared to the genes in the GenBank, a comparative analysis of the gene revealed that there were 3 more ctg bases at the 200th position of encoding leucine, but this did not lead to changes in reading frame. The gene homology was 99%.
Amino Acid Sequence ; Base Sequence ; Female ; Ferredoxins ; genetics ; Humans ; Molecular Sequence Data ; Mycoplasma hominis ; genetics ; physiology ; Symbiosis ; genetics ; Trichomonas vaginalis ; genetics ; physiology

Objective:To investigate the effect of urate-lowering therapy (ULT) on body fat and visceral fat areas in patients with gout and to analyze the related risk factors.Methods:A total of 140 patients with gout eligible for enrollment were recruited from the gout clinic in the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from Sept. 2018 to Sept. 2019. After 2 weeks of washout, all patients were treated with benzbromarone for consecutive 12 weeks. The data of blood biochemical, body fat (BF), body fat percentage (BFP) and visceral fat area (VFA) were collected, and the differences before and after ULT as well as the risk factors affecting the changes of BF, BFP, and VFA were analyzed.Results:The diastolic blood pressure (DBP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), serum uric acid (sUA), BF, BFP, and VFA were significantly decreased after ULT ( P<0.05). The results of multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that sUA, creatinine (Cr) and glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were independent risk factors affecting the improvement of BF and VFA (P<0.05). Lower serum uric acid levels in patients with gout before and after ULT indicated better improvement effect of body fat and visceral fat areas( P<0.05). Conclusion:Gout combined with hyperuricemia is closely related to visceral obesity. In addition to lowering the serum uric acid level, ULT could also benefit the body fat and visceral fat area in patients with gout to some extent.

Objective:To explore early-onset gout and related risk factors in Shandong Province, and provide decision-making information on prevention.Methods:Data from electronic medical records and face-to face interview were collected from 8 393 patients with gout who first visited the gout clinic of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from September 2016 to December 2021. Data included demographics, comorbidity and biochemical examinations. The dynamic changes of onset age from 2002 to 2021 were statistically analyzed. The clinical characteristics and related risk factors of patients with early-onset and late-onset gout were statistically analyzed.Results:The age of onset of gout decreased significantly from 2002 to 2021. Compared with 2002, the average age of onset in 2021 decreased by 2.3 years [(41.9±10.6 vs 39.6±14.0) years]. The median age of onset decreased by 3 years in 2012-2021 compared with 2002-2011(37 vs 40 years, P<0.001). The proportion of gout patients with onset age<40 years old increased significantly, from 45.1% in 2002 to 57.8%, and increased by 12.7% in 20 years( P<0.001). The constituent ratios of 20-29 years old group( Ptrend<0.001) and≤19 years old group( Ptrend=0.011) increased by 9.3%( P<0.001) and 4.2%( P=0.002) over 20 years, which was the highest increase among all age groups with onset age<40 years old. Multivariate stepwise linear regression analysis showed that positive family history, blood uric acid level, metabolic syndrome and smoking were independent risk factors for early onset of gout. Conclusion:The age of gout onset in tends to be younger. The increase of the proportion of patients younger than 30 years old is probably the key factor leading to the early-onset gout in Shandong Province. Early and effective intervention on the risk factors related to early-onset gout is essential to prevent the early-onset gout as well as to reduce the prevalence of gout and complications.

Objective:To investigate whether dual-energy computed tomography(DECT) measurement of monosodium urate(MSU) crystal loading can predict the risk of gout flares.Methods:A single-center, prospective, observational study included 229 gout patients initially diagnosed at the Gout Clinic of Qingdao University from August 2021 to February 2022. The patients underwent MSU assessment of the bilateral feet using DECT. Following enrolment, all patients commenced uric acid-lowering therapy(ULT) and were followed up at 3 and 6 months. Patients who experienced at least one flare within 6 months were compared with those who did not, and the odds ratio( OR) for the risk of gout flares was calculated. Results:Patients who experienced gout flare had a significantly longer disease duration[(6.69±5.42) vs(4.14±4.86) years, P<0.01], a higher number of flares in the past year(4.80±1.73 vs 2.02±1. 23, P<0.01), a higher proportion of fatty livers(11.0% vs 1.4%, P<0.05), and a greater volume of MSU crystals in the feet[(3.52±9.74) vs(0.29±0.98)cm 3,P<0.05] compared to patients without gout flare. The results of the multifactorial logistic regression analysis indicated that the number of flares in the past year( OR=1.295, 95% CI 1.032-1.613, P<0.05) and feet MSU crystal volume( OR=3.245, 95% CI 1.164-9.064, P<0.05) were independent risk factors for gout flares. The receiver operating characteristic(ROC) curve indicated the integration of the MSU prediction model into the clinical prediction model resulted in a comprehensive prediction model with an area under curve(AUC) value of 0.780(95% CI 0.710-0.840), sensitivity of 0.83, and specificity of 0.62. Internal validation of the comprehensive prediction model using the Bootstrap method yielded a C-index of 0.770(95% CI 0.701-0.833) for predicting flares. The calibration curve of the model demonstrated a good fit between the predicted probability of flares and the actual probability, indicating high calibration accuracy. Conclusion:The volume of MSU crystals in the feet is an independent risk factor for flares following ULT. A larger volume of MSU crystals in the foot increases the likelihood of a flare. This study provides a basis for early prediction of flare and a reference for early preventive treatment.