Vitamin D For Prevention of Respiratory Tract Infections (COVID-19) What is Vitamin D? Vitamin D is a fat-soluble-vitamin, unlike most other vitamins which are generally obtained through dietary sources, in that a major source derives from UV light-induced conversion of its precursor under the skin which means Vitamin D can be produced by the body itself through exposure to sunlight. Vitamin D is not naturally present in most foods. Dietary sources include fortified foods and supplements. Fatty fish and fish liver oils are among the few quality sources of vitamin D, and smaller amounts are found in beef liver and some mushrooms. (WHO, n.d.) (Lukaszuk and Luebbers, 2017) Studies have shown that there is a high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency worldwide. (WHO, n.d.) Why is Vitamin D Important? Vitamin D deficiency may affect the immune system as vitamin D plays an immunomodulation role, enhancing innate immunity by up-regulating the expression and secretion of antimicrobial peptides, which boosts mucosal defences. Furthermore, recent meta-analyses have reported a protective effect of vitamin D supplementation on respiratory tract infections. (WHO, n.d.) Traditionally, vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralize, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems including: l  Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease l  Cognitive impairment in older adults l  Severe asthma in children l  Cancer (Davis, 2009) Vitamin D Supplementation to Prevent Acute Respiratory Tract Infections Respiratory tract infections are conditions that affect the air passages. These include acute infections that affect the lower respiratory tract and lungs, such as pneumonia and influenza, which are among the leading causes of death in children worldwide. (WHO, n.d.) In 2015, 16% of all deaths in children under five years of age were attributed to pneumonia. Pneumonia is usually caused by a bacterial infection and can also be caused by a virus, such as coronavirus (COVID-19). These conditions may also have an impact on quality of life. Therefore, it is important to find interventions that could prevent respiratory conditions. (WHO, n.d.) A constant effort has been put into addressing those diseases caused by Vitamin D deficiency. And so far to our knowledge, observational studies report consistent independent associations between low serum concentrations of 25-hydroxyvitamin D and susceptibility to acute respiratory tract infection. In a recent-year research conducted by a whole lot of health professionals to find out the role of Vitamin D in preventing respiratory infections, they came to a conclusion: “Vitamin D supplementation reduced the risk of acute respiratory tract infection among all participants. And protective effects were seen in those receiv...

On June 6, 2022, the Opening Ceremony of Biotime Academic Exchange Center was successfully held. Associate Dean of Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, President of the National Association of Health Industry and Enterprise Management, Professor Song Haibo, Director of the Fujia Provincial Center For Clinical Laboratory, President of the Fujian Medical Association, Chen Falin, Xiamen University Life Sciences School Professor, Director of the Xiamen University - Biotime Research Center for Translational Medicine Zhang Yongyou and other guests, Chairman of Biotime Zhang Guofeng, Co-CEO Yin Peng, Vice General Manager Huang Jianguo and Zhuang Yanghuang and other business leaders attended the ceremony. Vice General Manager Zhuang Yanghuang led the ceremony Vice General Manager Zhuang said that Biotime Academic Exchange Center is expected to create opportunities and promote exchanges for the experts across the country, and this is also an opportunity for us, to do our best and strive for better future. Professor Song Haibo, President of the Fujian Medical Association Chen Falin, Deputy Director of Xiamen University School of Public Health, Director of the Center for Clinical Laboratories of Xiamen Humanity Hospital, Zhang Zhongying, together with Co-CEO of Biotime Yin Peng officially unveiled the commemorative plaque of the Biotime Academic Exchange Center. Co-CEO of Biotime Yin said that Biotime Academic Exchange Center is a platform at a higher level among leading experts and research communities at university, utilize Biotime’s production capacity to transform R&D achievements into product, as the mission we believe and keep pursuing,“Technology for Health” Director of the Fujian Provincial Center For Clinical Laboratory, President of the Fujian Medical Association, Chen Falin delivers the opening speech On the afternoon of June 6, the 1rst Session of Academic Salon was held.Director Chen said that productivity blends with creativity is a necessity in the development of Medical Laboratory, the establishment of Biotime Academic Exchange Center is to better apply the In-Vitro Diagnostic products into practice. Co-CEO of Biotime Yin Peng shares the trend in Translational Medicine and Biotime’s technology platforms and products Xiamen University Life Sciences School Professor, Director of the Xiamen University - Biotime Research Center for Translational Medicine Zhang Yongyou shares the product development of In-Vitro Diagnostic product with AI-Powered Design Biotime Academic Exchange Center provides a higher level platform for leading experts, exerts its will and capability on In-Vitro Diagnostic industry and takes the lead to construct a sustainable ecosphere and advance the combination of production and product development.

Your blood offers many clues about your heart health. Aside from cholesterol level in your blood which can be a sign of whether you have a heart attack, other substances in your blood can also tell you about your heart health. It's important to remember that one blood test alone doesn't determine your risk of heart disease. It often takes several different blood tests for doctors to diagnose and manage heart disease. In this article, we will focus on some of them and take a quick look at why you may need this test. Cardiac biomarkers are substances that are released into the blood when the heart is damaged or stressed. Measurements of these biomarkers are used to help diagnose acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and cardiac ischemia, conditions associated with insufficient blood flow to the heart. Tests for cardiac biomarkers can also be used to help determine a person’s risk of having these conditions or to help monitor and manage someone with suspected ACS and cardiac ischemia. Troponin Troponin is a protein released into your bloodstream when your heart muscle is being damaged. This protein is by far the most commonly used biomarker. It has the highest known sensitivity. An increased level of troponin protein in your blood has been linked with the amount of heart damage following a heart attack and a higher risk of heart disease in people who have no symptoms so it is often done if you have chest pain. (UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER, 2021) Myoglobin Myoglobin is a small protein that stores oxygen. It is measured occasionally. Myoglobin is sometimes measured in addition to troponin to help diagnose a heart attack. It is also not very specific for finding a heart attack. (UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER, 2021) B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) is a protein that your heart and blood vessels make. BNP helps your body eliminate fluids, relaxes blood vessels and moves sodium into your urine. For people who have heart failure, establishing a baseline BNP can be helpful and future tests can be used to help measure how well treatment works. BNP has a variation called N-terminal BNP which is also useful for diagnosing heart failure and for assessing the risk of a heart attack and other problems in those with existing heart disease. (Mayo Clinic, 2021) CK-MB CK-MB is a subtype of CK. It is more sensitive for finding heart damage from a heart attack. CK-MB rises 4 to 6 hours after a heart attack. But it is generally back to normal in a day or two. Because of this, it's not helpful when a healthcare provider is trying to figure out if your recent chest pain was a heart attack. (UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER MEDICAL CENTER, 2021) D-Dimer D-Dimer is one of the protein fragments produced when a blood clot gets dissolved in the body. It is normally undetectable or detectable at a very low level unless the body is forming and breaking down blood clots. Then, its level in the blood can significantly rise. The strength of the D...

On June 6, 2022, the Foundation Laying Ceremony of Biotime POCT Industrial Park Constructional Project was successfully held. Vice Mayor of Xiamen Government Huang Xiaozhou, Director of the Committee of Haicang Taiwanese-invested Investment Zone, Governor of the Haicang District Gong Jianyang, Associate Dean of Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, President of the National Association of Health Industry and Enterprise Management, Professor Song Haibo and other leaders and guests, Chairman of Biotime Zhang Guofeng, Co-CEO Yin Peng, Vice General Manager Huang Jianguo and Zhuang Yanghuang and other business leaders witnessed this important moment. the Foundation Laying Ceremony of Biotime POCT Industrial Park Constructional Project the Chairman of Biotime, Zhang Guofeng delivers the opening speech The Chairman Zhang said that Biotime powered by innovation and stick with pragmatic approach since it was established, we believe and keep pursuing the mission of “Technology for Health” . Biotime have been listed in the “little giant” Enterprises of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and awarded as the “High-Tech Enterprise” and many others. With strong government support and Biotime’s own effort, it has now became the core drives in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. This project marked a new chapter for Biotime, it will raise the capacity for pursuing product development, have a greater efficiency to increase output, construct a sustainable ecosphere for the industry and benefit in all aspects. This special time provide Biotime an extraordinary opportunity and we will actively take action and remain persistent and determined in our role in the industry and society. Deputy Director of the Committee of Haicang Taiwanese-invested Investment Zone, Zhang Chunjie delivers the speech Director of Xiamen Administration for Market Regulation, Xu Guohua delivers the speech Associate Dean of Shanghai Academy of Experimental Medicine, President of the National Association of Health Industry and Enterprise Management, Song Haibo delivers the speech the Foundation Laying Ceremony of Biotime POCT Industrial Park Constructional Project Biotime POCT Industrial Park is located in the southwest of the intersection of Maolin Road and Haixiang Avenue in Haicang District. It is divided into two plots and it covers a total area of about 86855.743 square metres, of which 35587.110 square metres is used for Plot A, and 51268.633 square metres for the Plot B. A total investment of nearly 180 million dollars is expected to be made in the industrial park by 2024. Rendering of Biotime POCT Industri...

May 20, 2022, Biotime announced that its SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Test has received approval from the China's National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). The details are as follows: The SARS-CoV-2 Antigen Rapid Qualitative Test has also obtained CE mark for self-testing, which is another effective tool for the company to actively support global anti-epidemic. It can be operated by individuals who collect the front nasal swab sample by themselves, and the result can be quickly delivered in 20-30 minutes. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, Biotime as a global innovation-driven healthcare company has fully integrated its business and global resources with timely response and actively undertaking the social responsibilities in combating COVID-19 pandemic control and minimizing its impact. Biotime has developed a growing number of diagnostic solutions that help to diagnose and detect the infection, and we will continue to play our role and increase production to support availability of tests globally.

INTRODUCTION Immunoassay analysers are applied to a situation where one wants to detect or isolate a molecule within a mixture, usually using an antibody as a reagent. (Beckmancoulter, 2021) These devices perform a variety of tests including those targeting cancer, allergies, therapeutic drug monitoring and more. And they typically include an autosampler, a reagent dispenser, a washer, and a detection system. (Who.int, 2021) Modern immunoassay analysers often come with advanced, user-friendly features such as touchscreen interface, easy-to-use software and ready-to-use reagents. With advanced analysers, laboratories can benefit from simple and trouble-free operation, workflow flexibility, fast turnaround times, and broad measuring ranges. (Block Scientific Inc, 2021) TYPES AND VARIATIONS Five types of immunoassay, enzyme immunoassay (EIA), radioimmunoassay (RIA), fluoroimmunoassay (FIA), chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) and counting immunoassay (CIA), are generally used. Depending on configuration and levels of sophistication, as well as available testing options, different immunoassay analysers could vary greatly. (Martínez, 2021) Radioimmunoassay The radioimmunoassay is perhaps the oldest types of immunoassays. Here, a radioisotope is attached to an antigen of interest and bound with its complementary antibody. Then a sample with the antigen to be measured is added. It competes with the radioactive antigen, kicks it out of the binding spot and replaces it. After washing away unbound antigens the radioactivity of the sample is measured. The amount of radioactive signal is inversely related to the amount of target antigen. The health hazards of using radioactive substances caused a movement toward safer methods. (Martínez, 2021) Counting immunoassay In a counting immunoassay, polystyrene beads are coated with many antibodies complementary to the target antigen. During incubation the beads bind to multiple antigens and group together into a large mass. Some beads remain unbound. The entire solution is passed through a cell counter and only the unbound beads are counted. The number of unbound beads is inversely proportional to the amount of antigen. (Martínez, 2021) Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay The Enzyme-Linked Immune Sorbent Assay, also known as ELISA, determines various entities such as the presence of antibodies to an infectious disease and also detects and measures antibodies in human samples as a reaction to specific antigens. ELISA-tests are commonly used to test the concentration of Vitamin D, insulin, COVID-19 or hepatitis antigens in samples. (Future Diagnostics, 2021) Fluorescence and Chemiluminescence Immunoassays Besides the use of immunoassays based on colour intensity to detect antibodies in specimens, detection can also be done by fluorescent tracers and light-generating molecules. These are called Fluorescent Immunoassay (FIA) and Chemiluminescence Immunoassay (CLIA). The basis of these immunoassays is a variant of ELISA. T...

Biotime announced today that, it had now achieved CE Marking for its COVID-19 Ag & Flu A/B Combo Test from the European certification body CeCert to be used as a consumer self-test in the European Union (EU) and other regions that recognized the CE Mark. The details are as follows:  The test detects N protein from SARS-CoV-2, influenza A and influenza B directly from a nasal swab with results in 15 minutes from sample application in people with COVID-19 symptoms or influenza A or influenza B infection. The test has the advantage of being consistent in sensitivity and easy handling, it well meets the needs of epidemic prevention and control at home in various countries. Biotime will keep supporting the cause of global COVID-19 prevention and control, and actively respond to the market demand for testing products in COVID-19.