[Fluoride content of table salt in Mexico City]. / Flúor contenido en la sal para consumo humano distribuida en la ciudad de México.

The fluoride content of a sample of bags of salt for sale in Mexico City was measured in order to estimate the proportion of marketed salt that contained the quantity of fluoride set by the National Program for Prevention of Dental Caries through Consumption of Fluoridated Table Salt. The effectiveness of that program had never been evaluated. In March 1993, bags of salt were obtained from 70 of the 3544 neighborhoods that make up Mexico City. The stores were selected by simple random sampling. Salt was likewise purchased from 20% of the 146 supermarkets and self-service stores in the city, also selected as a random sample. Then, blind measurement was done of the fluoride content of 221 bags of salt. The true content of this element was often found to be below the amount called for by the government. In addition, it did not coincide with the quantity indicated on the package label, which is a violation of the law.

[Soft drink consumption patterns in a Mexican population]. / Patrón de consumo de refrescos en una población mexicana.

To evaluate soft drink consumption patterns in the Mexican population, the authors conducted a survey among people over 10 years of age in Mexico City (september-october 1993). Also, pH levels of commonly available beverages were measured using standard laboratory techniques. Results indicated that each one of the 33 soft drink brands and 15 brands of juices and beverages available, had markedly acidic pH values (between 2.46 and 3.96). Out of the 2,008 respondents (55.3% male, 44.7% female; response rate, 90.1%), 1,657 (82.5%) admitted drinking soft drinks daily, while 351 (17.5%) said they did not drink this type of beverages. Even though high consumption was frequent in all age groups, self-reported consumption was partially associated to age, being higher in the younger groups. The mean number of soft drinks ingested per day was reported to be 1.7, SD 1.3, and 9.3 per week SD 9.9. Self-reported consumption appeared to be independent of schooling level. Even though the largest proportion of non-consumers was found in the group that considered soft drinks to be a very important contributing factor to caries development, most interviewees agreed that soft drinks consumption was an important cariogenic factor. This attributed role was more prominent among interviewees with a higher level of schooling.

Interleucina-2: una terapia alternativa en cáncer / Interleukin-2: an alternative therapy for cancer

Recientemente, se ha demostrado que la manifestación de inmunidad antitumoral resulta de las interacciones entre varias poblaciones celulares del sistema inmune. La inmunoterapia con interleucina-2 (IL-2) y células destructoras de linfocinas activadas generadas por linfocitos análogos ha producido regresiones significativas en tumore de pacientes con cáncer avanzado. El efecto mitogénico de la IL-2 en linfocitos T citolíticos de tumores-reactivos (CTL), destructores naturales y LAK puede incrementar el potencial de defensa en la expansión de tumores. A diferencia del tratamiento sistémico, la administración de IL-2 en la vecindad del tumor puede ofrecer ciertas ventajas, tales como: uso de dosis bajas y menos anticuerpos anti IL-2 y proveer un cambio de confrontación mucho mejor con inhibidores IL-2 y mecanismos de retroalimentación, los cuales podrán limitar sustancialmente los posibles efectos terapéuticos de la IL-2 en pacientes con tumores

[Attitudes and habits for the control of HIV and hepatitis B in dental students]. / Actitudes y costumbres para el control de infección por VIH y hepatitis B en estudiantes de odontología.

HIV infection has had great impact on dental practice, mainly because public and professional perceptions about HIV-AIDS contagion are conflictive due to fear and ignorance. Since the practices of infection control have not been adequately studied in Mexico, the present survey explored some attitudes towards HIV infection, stated knowledge on HIV transmission and manifestations, and infection control procedures reportedly used by dental students. A questionnaire was administered to 262 final-year students (95% were 20 to 30 years old; 71% female) in Mexico City (July-August 1992), with emphasis on the clinical risk posed by HIV and hepatitis B (HBV) infections. Data were analyzed with Student's t-test and one-way ANOVA (Scheffé test). Results showed a mixed response as a general rule, with most respondents believing they had a moral (83%) and professional (78%) duty to treat HIV+ patients but few having a sympathetic approach to them. Only a minority have had a direct experience with HIV+ patients (5%) or high-risk groups (24%). Students seemed to use adequate infection control barriers as most wore gloves, gowns, masks and glasses while treating patients, but only 20 per cent had been vaccinated against hepatitis. Some contradictions in the use of disinfecting/sterilization equipment and agents were detected. The most important reasons given to refuse to treat HIV+ patients were the lack of appropriate facilities and the risk of becoming infected. The sources of information on HIV most frequently resorted to were reported to be professional education and short courses of continuing education.

[The prevalence of caries in marginal rural and peripheral urban areas]. / Prevalencia de caries en zonas rurales y peri-urbanas marginadas.

A descriptive study of caries prevalence in peripheral urban and rural underprivileged groups was undertaken in self-selected populations demanding basic dental therapy in seven states of Mexico. Dental therapy services were delivered as part of a mobile oral health care program in the Mexican countryside implemented by the Dental School of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, during 1990 and 1991. Partial examination of clinical histories of 2,596 patients (mean age 21.8 years) revealed a mean DMFT (the sum of decayed, missing and filled teeth) of 9.21. Only 6.3 per cent of patients had DMFT = 0 and 10.7 per cent were caries-free. The largest component of DMFT were decayed teeth and the smallest one filled teeth. In general, results suggested that caries prevalence was high within the study populations, highlighting the little restorative treatment previously undertaken. The convenience of implementing oral health care schemes to deal with caries morbidity is discussed from the perspective of both the traditional dental treatment approach and preventive public health policies, taking into account the background of complex treatment needs present in these population groups.