Iodine is a highly reactive element with a single natural and stable isotopic form (¹²⁷I). In the biosphere, it is one of the 30 essential elements for life, and its chemical speciation defines its availability and biological activities. The most relevant chemical species are iodate (IO₃⁻) and iodide (I⁻) as the major sources of iodine, with molecular iodine (I₂) and hypoiodous acid (HIO) as the most reactive species, and thyroid hormones (THs) as the representative organic compounds. In human biology, THs are master regulators of metabolism, while inorganic species serve for the iodination of organic molecules and contribute to the innate immune system and the antioxidant cellular defense. Additionally, I⁻, I₂, δ-lactone (6-IL), and α-iodohexadecanal (α-IHDA) have shown therapeutic potential in counteracting oxidative stress, cancer, and inflammation. Both inorganic and organic species have applications in the health science industry, from the manufacturing of disinfection and wound care products to supplements, medicines, and contrast media for radiography. Even after nuclear disasters, intake of high doses of iodine prevents the accumulation of radioactive iodine in the body. Conversely, the controlled production of iodine radioisotopes such as ¹²³I, ¹²⁴I, ¹²⁵I, and ¹³¹I is exploited in nuclear medicine for radiotherapy and diagnostics.

Cancer incidence and mortality in children in the Mexican Social Security Institute (1996-2013)

Background and objectiveThe purpose of this study is to ascertain the changes in tobacco use and alcohol consumption, as well as the family history related to the risk for chronic disorders in students from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, UNAM), when transitioning from secondary school to university.MethodologyThe data from the Comprehensive Health Assessment Survey performed on university students by the Department of Health Services (Direccion General de Servicios Medicos, DGSM) was analysed and compared with their previous health state, tobacco use and alcohol consumption, excess weight, obesity and health issues of relatives.Results593 students participated in the survey, of whom 69.6% were women. The greatest mean BMI variation was between the age of 14 and 16. 1.54% reported having high blood pressure during secondary school and 1.69% during university. In three years, alcohol consumption increased by 32% and tobacco use by 7.6%. As for the relatives’ health state, the predominance of high blood pressure went from 24.1 to 30.4, obesity went from 27.6 to 31.3, tobacco use went from 24.5 to 24.9 and type 2 diabetes mellitus went from 12.8% to 16.2% with p<0.01.ConclusionsThe changes in risk factors point to a higher risk profile for chronic disorders. Future health damages could be reduced if measures were taken among young people

Currently, there are over 602 million severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) cases and 6.4 million COVID-19 disease-related deaths worldwide. With ambitious vaccine strategies, reliable and accurate serological testing is needed to monitor the dynamics of the novel coronavirus pandemic and community immunity. We set out to improve serological testing of the immune response against SARS-CoV-2. We hypothesize that by multiplexing the serological diagnostic test kit (SARSPLEX) and screening for three antibodies, an even more robust diagnostic can be developed. A total of 293 sera were analyzed for IgM, IgG, or IgA immune reactions to the subunit 1 spike glycoprotein and the nucleocapsid protein in a standardized ELISA platform. Testing IgM, IgG, and IgA demonstrated high positive and negative agreements compared to RT-PCR and serology reference tests. Comparison with the pre-2019-CoV (n = 102) samples highlighted the specificity of this test kit and indicated that no unspecific binding, even with the summer flu patients (n = 44), was detected. In addition, SARSPLEX demonstrated to be a valuable occupational surveillance tool used in a functional medicine facility. With increased and broader testing, SARSPLEX will be a valuable tool in monitoring immunity and aid in prioritizing access to the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine for high-risk patients.