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The objective was to evaluate the association between serum carotenoid levels and respiratory morbidity and mortality in a nationally representative sample of US adults. We assessed the association of serum carotenoid levels with respiratory morbidity and mortality using logistic regression and proportional hazards regression models. Meanwhile, a series of confounders were controlled in regression models and restricted cubic spline, which included age, sex, race, marriage, education, income, drinking, smoking, regular exercise, BMI, daily energy intake, vitamin E, vitamin C, fruit intake, vegetable intake, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Compared with participants in the lowest tertiles, participants in the highest tertiles of serum total carotenoids, β -cryptoxanthin and lutein/zeaxanthin levels had a significantly lower prevalence of emphysema (ORtotal carotenoids = 0·61, 95% CI: 0·41–0·89, OR β -cryptoxanthin = 0·67, 95% CI: 0·49–0·92), chronic bronchitis (OR β -cryptoxanthin = 0·66, 95% CI: 0·50–0·87) and asthma (Q2: ORlutein/zeaxanthin = 0·78, 95% CI: 0·62–0·97); participants in the highest tertiles of total carotenoids, α -carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin and lycopene had a lower risk of respiratory mortality (hazard ratio (HR)total carotenoids = 0·62, 95% CI: 0·42–0·90, HR α -carotene = 0·54, 95% CI: 0·36–0·82, HRlutein/zeaxanthin = 0·48, 95% CI: 0·33–0·71, HRlycopene = 0·66, 95% CI: 0·45–0·96) than those in the lowest tertiles. Higher serum total carotenoids and β -cryptoxanthin levels is associated with decreased prevalence of emphysema and chronic bronchitis, and higher serum total carotenoids, α -carotene, lutein/zeaxanthin and lycopene levels had a lower mortality of respiratory disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hyperuricemia (HUA) is associated with a wide range of diseases and increases the public health burden on society as a whole. In addition to genetic variation, diet plays a crucial role in the prevention and treatment of HUA as an important modifiable behavior. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether food groups and consumption time are associated with HUA. A total of 41,230 participants from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2018 were included in the study. All meals, including breakfast, lunch, and dinner, were obtained according to their corresponding Food Patterns Equivalents Database dietary data. The binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between food groups, food consumption time and HUA. We found that the intake of fruit (mixed in various forms) (OR = 0.942, 95% CI: 0.909–0.976) or freshly squeezed juices (OR = 0.915, 95% CI: 0.859–0.975), milk (OR = 0.839, 95% CI: 0.808–0.872), and eggs (OR = 0.881, 95% CI: 0.839–0.924), poultry (OR = 1.055, 95% CI: 1.033–1.077) and seafood high in n-3 fatty acids (OR = 1.068, 95% CI: 0.1.018–1.120) at dinner, eating refined grains at breakfast (OR = 0.954, 95% CI: 0.924–0.985) and dinner (OR = 0.962, 95% CI: 0.944–0.980), eating whole grains (OR = 0.908, 95% CI: 0.845–0.976) at lunch, consuming alcoholic beverages or foods at breakfast (OR = 0.748, 95% CI: 0.564–0.990)/lunch (OR = 1.118, 95% CI: 1.008–1.240)/dinner (OR = 1.127, 95% CI: 1.073–1.185) were associated with HUA. Eating particular meals at particular times of the day was related to a lower risk of HUA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukin (IL)‐18 is a potentially important molecule in allergic rhinitis (AR). However, expressions of IL‐18, IL‐18 binding protein isoform a (IL‐18BPa) and IL‐18 receptor alpha (IL‐18Rα) in AR blood monocytes remain obscure. We, therefore, investigated IL‐18, IL‐18BPa and IL‐18Rα expressions in monocytes using flow cytometry, murine AR model and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The results showed that the numbers of IL‐18+ monocytes increased, whereas IL‐18BPa+ monocytes decreased in the peripheral blood of AR patients. It was also observed that Platanus pollen extract provoked elevated expressions of IL‐18 and IL‐18Rα in the monocytes of AR patients. House dust mite extract, Artemisia sieversiana wild extract and Platanus pollen extract enhanced IL‐18Rα protein and mRNA expression in the isolated primary monocytes from AR patients. Using ELISA kits, we observed that the levels of total IL‐18 and free IL‐18 in the plasma of perennial AR (pAR) and seasonal AR (sAR) patients were elevated, and the molar concentration ratio of free IL‐18BPa/free IL‐18 was 16.5 for healthy control subjects and 9.7 for patients with sAR, indicating that IL‐18 likely plays a role in sAR. In the murine AR model, the number of IL‐18Rα+ monocytes increased in the blood, and the number of IL‐18Rα+ macrophages increased in the nasal lavage fluid of WT mice. In conclusion, IL‐18 may serve as a causative factor for AR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new idea of cylinder management in university laboratories based on organizational and technical measures is put forward. University-level functional departments focus on the construction of organizational measures, including supplier qualification audit, procurement platform construction, training and access system construction, and based on the implementation of organizational measures, the laboratories of secondary institutions adopt different technical measures according to different kinds of gases in the storage and use of cylinders, forming a foundation of organizational measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]