Plasma homocysteine level and megaloblastic anemia status are two factors that can affect the quality of life of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). We conducted this study to determine the effect of vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation on serum homocysteine, megaloblastic anemia status and quality of life of patients with MS. A total of 50 patients with relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) included in this study which divided into 2 groups. The vitamin group received 5 mg folic acid tablet daily and 3 doses of vitamin B12 (1,000 mcg) injection and the other group received placebo and normal saline injection (same doses). The quality of life was measured by using Multiple Sclerosis Quality of Life-54 questionnaire (MSQOL-54). Fully automated fluorescence polarization immunoassay was used to measure serum homocysteine, vitamin B12 and folate. Complete blood count blood test was conducted to determine the anemia status. The mean homocysteine level reduced by 2.49 ± 0.39 µmol/L (p = 0.001), hemoglobin increased from 11.24 ± 1.54 to 13.12 ± 1.05 g/dL (p = 0.001), and mean corpuscular volume decreased from 95.50 ± 6.65 to 89.64 ± 4.24 in the vitamin group (p = 0.001). There was a significant improvement in the mental field of life quality in the placebo group (37.46 ± 19.01 to 50.98 ± 21.64; p = 0.001), whereas both physical and mental fields of quality of life were improved significantly in the vitamin group (40.38 ± 15.07 to 59.21 ± 12.32 and 29.58 ± 15.99 to 51.68 ± 18.22, respectively; p = 0.001). Serum homocysteine level decrease and anemia status improvement with vitamin B12 and folic acid supplementation reveal the potential role of these two vitamins in improving the life quality of MS patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials Identifier: IRCT2015100313678N7
Anemia* ; Anemia, Megaloblastic ; Blood Cell Count ; Erythrocyte Indices ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Folic Acid* ; Hematologic Tests ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Multiple Sclerosis* ; Multiple Sclerosis, Relapsing-Remitting ; Plasma ; Quality of Life* ; Vitamin B 12* ; Vitamins*

A fluorescence polarization immunoassay (FPIA) was developed for the analysis ofaflatoxins (AFs) using an anti-aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) monoclonal antibody and a novel fluorescein-labeled AFB1 tracer. The FPIA showed an IC50 value of 23.33 ng/mL with a limit of detection of 13.12 ng/mL for AFB1. The cross-reactivities of AFB1, AFB2, AFG1, AFG2, AFM1, and AFM2 with the antibody were 100%, 65.7%, 143%, 23.5%, 111.4%, and 2%, respectively. The group-specificity of anti-AFB1mAb indicated that the FPIA could potentially be used in a screening method for the detection of total AFs, albeit not AFG2 and AFM2. The total time required for analyzing 96 samples in one microplate was less than 5 min. This study demonstrates the potential usefulness of the FPIA as a rapid and simple technique for monitoring AFs.
Aflatoxins ; analysis ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay

Animals ; Antibodies ; Estrone ; chemistry ; immunology ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; methods ; Molecular Structure ; Rabbits ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVE: This study was conducted to confirm the results of the authors' previous research on schizophrenia manifesting high serum homocysteine and low folate levels. This study is anchored on a theory that a high serum homocysteine concentration affects schizophrenia by virtue of a neurotoxic mechanism, and on a report that some schizophrenia patients with high homocysteine levels benefited from high folate ingestion. METHODS: The serum homocysteine, folate, and vitamin B12 levels of 236 normal-control-group subjects and 234 schizophrenia subjects who met the diagnostic criteria based on DSM-IV-TR were compared. The homocysteine levels were measured via fluorescence polarization immunoassay, and the folate and vitamin B12 levels were determined via radioimmunoassay. RESULTS: The homocysteine levels of the patient group were significantly higher than those of the normal control group. The homocysteine level was more negatively correlated with the folate level in the schizophrenia group than in the control group. The percentages of female and male schizophrenia subjects manifesting high homocysteine levels were 33.8 and 51.5%, respectively. The percentage of schizophrenia subjects with low folate levels was 66.2%. In the low- and normal-folate-level groups, the patient group showed significantly higher homocysteine levels than the normal control group. The low-folate-level patient group particularly showed significantly higher homocysteine levels than the low-folate-level normal control group. CONCLUSION: Some schizophrenia patients with high serum homocysteine levels may have the genetic defect of having low folate serum levels. In such cases, folate ingestion may be a good management modality for clinical improvement.
Eating ; Female ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Folic Acid ; Homocysteine ; Humans ; Male ; Schizophrenia ; Virtues ; Vitamin B 12

Digoxin plays a part in healing of congestive heart failure in clinic. Its therapeutic dose is very approximate to toxic dose and even they overlap each other sometimes. There are many influencing factors on blood drug level of digoxin. Pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics varies with different individuality. It is indispensable to detecting blood drug level in order to treat disease and prevent intoxication. Integrating with the detecting-methods of blood drug level of digoxin home and broad, characteristic of many methods are summarized from sensitivity, linearity range, cross-reaction and precision. These methods include radio immunoassay, enzyme immunoassay, chemiluminescence immunoassay, fluorescence immunoassay and HPLC-MS-MS. These methods are popular for their specialized ascendancy. The cost of radio immunoassay is low. Enzyme immunoassay has good specificity. Sensitivity and stability of chemiluminescence immunoassay is very excellent. Fluorescence polarization immunoassay is sensitive and convenient. HPLC-MS-MS has high resolution and good specificity. One of the development tendencies is to combine two or more methods in detecting the blood drug level of digoxin which contribute to these methods integrated use.
Chemistry Techniques, Analytical ; methods ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Digoxin ; blood ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Fluoroimmunoassay ; Humans ; Radioimmunoassay ; Reproducibility of Results ; Tandem Mass Spectrometry

BACKGROUND: Carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT) is an early structural marker of the atherosclerotic process and an elevated total homocysteine level is an early biochemical marker of atherosclerosis. But there are few reports about serum homocysteine level and carotid IMT between ischemic stroke, hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH) and control group. METHOD: We studied about 173 patients with ischemic stroke, HICH and control group. Carotid IMT was defined as the mean of IMT measured by B-mode ultrasonography. Serum homocysteine level was measured by fluorescence polarization immunoassay method in fasting state. We compared serum homocysteine level and carotid IMT between ischemic stroke, HICH and control group. In statistics, One-Way ANOVA was used. RESULTS: A significant increase in carotid IMT was noted in ischemic stroke and HICH compared with that in the control group (p<0.05), whereas there was no significant differences in carotid IMT between ischemic stroke and HICH. The serum homocysteine level of ischemic stroke was significantly higher than that of control group (p<0.05). But there were no significant differences between HICH and control group, HICH and ischemic stroke. CONCLUSIONS: In our study, we thought a carotid IMT of ischemic stroke, HICH and serum homocysteine level in ischemic stroke can be used as early diagnostic marker. Therefore, our results address the need of further prospective clinical studies in patients with ischemic stroke and HICH in order to evaluate a possible diagnostic ability of carotid IMT and serum homocysteine level.
Atherosclerosis ; Biomarkers ; Carotid Arteries ; Carotid Intima-Media Thickness* ; Cerebral Hemorrhage ; Fasting ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Homocysteine* ; Humans ; Intracranial Hemorrhage, Hypertensive* ; Stroke* ; Ultrasonography

Aflatoxins are very harmful pollutants generally existing in peanuts, corns, farm products and so on. Many methods for the determination of aflatoxins have been developed in recent thirty years. The limits for aflatoxins have been set down for foods and farm products in different countries successively. In China, the methods for the determination of aflatoxins in foods cannot meet the need of new limit regulations. Aflatoxins were found in some traditional Chinese medicines according to some literatures. But the detective method and standard for the determination of aflatoxins is not established in active pharmacopoeia. The analytical methods for aflatoxins have been summarized in this paper, which can provide the references to the researchers who are engaged in the determination of aflatoxins in traditional Chinese medicines and foods. This paper mainly focuses on the liquid chromatography method with immunoaffinity column cleanup using post-column derivatization system for aflatoxins. Aflatoxins can be adsorbed in the immunoaffinity column peculiarly on the basis of this method, and then they can be eluted with organic solvent. It is the best way for cleanup using immunoaffinity column for the determination of aflatoxins in traditional Chinese medicines. This HPLC method with fluorescence detector using post-column derivatization system is a commonly used method in different countries, and it is more sensitive and accurate. Our studies have also proved that this method, that is: the liquid chromatography methods with immunoaffinity column cleanup using post-column derivatization system for aflatoxins, is the best method, which is suitable for the determination of aflatoxins in traditional Chinese medicines.
Aflatoxins ; analysis ; Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; methods ; Chromatography, Thin Layer ; Drug Contamination ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Food Analysis ; methods ; Food Contamination ; analysis ; Plants, Medicinal ; chemistry

OBJECTIVETo investigate the polymorphisms of CYP3A5 gene in Chinese population and the association between CYP3A5 genotypes and their clinical functions.

METHODSCYP3A5 gene varisances were detected in 180 samples using denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography(DHPLC), and CsA concentrations in 12 of 180 samples from hemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients were monitored by a commercial fluorescence polarization immunoassay. The data were analyzed by a statistical software.

RESULTSIn the 180 samples, there was only one allelic variant CYP3A5*3 with a frequency of 76.1% (274/360), and there were three CYP3A5 genotypes, namely CYP3A5*1/*1, CYP3A5*1/*3 and CYP3A5*3/*3 with frequencies of 5.6%, 36.7% and 57.8% respectively. Also, there were significant differences in CsA concentrations, including standardized trough concentrations C(0) and two-hour peak concentrations C(2), between CYP3A5 CYP3A5*1/*1 and CYP3A5*1/*3 found in 12 hemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, and both C(0) and C(2) in CYP3A5*1/*1 were lower than those in CYP3A5*1/*3.

CONCLUSIONCYP3A5*3 is the primary allelic variant in Chinese population. CYP3A5 genotypes are closely associated with blood CsA concentrations in hemopoietic stem cell transplant recipients, and CYP3A5*1/*1 requires a larger CsA dose to maintain the same blood concentration than does CYP3A5*1/*1. CYP3A5 genotyping by DHPLC may predict recipients' phenotype and CsA dose requirement.

Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid ; Cyclosporine ; blood ; Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A ; genetics ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Hematopoietic Stem Cells ; cytology ; Humans ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Stem Cell Transplantation ; methods

OBJECTIVEThis study aimed to establish chemiluminescent immunoassay (CLIA) for quantitative determination of theophylline levels in human serum.

METHODSTo measure the concentration of theophylline (n=122) and evaluate the assay.

RESULTSThe linear range of the CLIA method was 0.51-40 mg/L (Y=1.02X+0.44, r=0.995). The intra and inter CV (coefficient variance) of CLIA were 3.20% and 3.57%, respectively. The average recovery rate was 102.3%. This method was free from interference by brilirubin (<200 micromol/L), hemoglobin (<10 g/L), and triglycerides (<15 mmol/L).

CONCLUSIONThis method is simple, convenient and precise for clinical pharmacokinetics study of theophylline.

Blood Chemical Analysis ; methods ; Female ; Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; methods ; Humans ; Luminescent Measurements ; methods ; Lung Diseases ; blood ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reproducibility of Results ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Theophylline ; blood

PURPOSE: To compare the antibiotic release kinetics of the implant coated with antibiotic-impregnated polymers MATERIALS AND METHODS: Authors used polylactic acid (PLA) and polylactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) as the biodegradable carriers, gentamicin sulfate as the antibiotic and Steinmann pin as the implant. Ten Steinmann pins were coated with gentamicin of each 10, 20 and 30% mixture of PLA or PLGA for the elution kinetics study. In the elution study, total 60 coated implants were incubated in 10 mL of phosphate buffered saline (PBS) at 37 delta C and sampled at 6 hrs, 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 20, and 25 days. Assays were performed with fluorescence polarization immunoassay. Statistical analysis was done with SAS release 2.01. RESULTS: Released concentration of GM decreased with time. Minimum inhibitory concentration was maintained until 6th day on PLA 10% subgroup, 9th day in the 20 and 30% subgroups, until 6th day on PLGA 20% subgroup, and 3rd day in the 10 and 30% subgroups. Released concentrations were significantly higher in all PLA subgroups than in PLGA as a parameter of sampled time (all p<0.05). There was no statistical difference between PLA 20 and 30% subgroup after 12th sampled day (p=0.2636). CONCLUSION: PLA-GM group showed higher effective concentration for longer time than PLGA-GM group. 20 and 30% subgroups of PLA-GM showed prolonged maintenance of minimum inhibitory concentration compared with 10% subgroup, but there was no difference between the two groups.
Fluorescence Polarization Immunoassay ; Gentamicins ; Kinetics* ; Microbial Sensitivity Tests ; Polymers*