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The purpose of this study was to assess the prevalence of dental caries, tooth loss, and risk factors among adult population of Chile. Furthermore, age, gender, and behavioural specific differences in caries prevalence and tooth loss were examined. A national stratified multistage probabilistic sample design in two-age cohorts was applied to the Chilean population. A sample of 1553 adults, comprising 1088 individuals aged 35-44 and 465 senior individuals aged 65-74, were examined. The DMFT was evaluated following WHO recommendations using diagnostic criteria of caries lesions into dentin. The data were analyzed by univariate and multivariate models using logistic regression analyses. Results showed a mean DMFT of 15.06 in the 35-44-year-old group and of 21.57 in the 65-74 group. Factors related to tooth loss in the 35-44 group through univariate logistic regression were depression (OR 1.9 CI 95% 1.26-2.85), education level <12 years (OR 2.24 CI 95% 1.31-3.73), personal income (OR 1.51 CI 95% 1.04- 2.19), and familiar income (OR 2.05 CI 95% 1.34-3.13), and through multivariate logistic regression in the same age group were depression (OR 1.93 CI 95% 1.24-3.0), education level <12 years (OR 1.94 CI 95% 1.2-3.14), and familiar income (OR 1.71 CI 95% 1.09-2.68). Factors related to tooth loss in the 65-74-year-old group through univariate logistic regression were education level <12 years (OR 2.54 CI 95% 1.3-4.96) and personal income (OR 1.66 CI 95% 1.05-2.63), and for multivariate logistic regression in the same age group, itwas education level <12 years (OR 2.51 CI 95% 1.21-5.18). In conclusion, adult population in Chile showed a high prevalence of dental caries and tooth loss, as age, education level, personal and familiar incomes, and depression are being the main risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Data from national surveys regarding the periodontal status of the adult population in Latin America are scarce. The aim of this study assesses the prevalence and extension of clinical attachment loss (AL) in the adult population of Chile. Age, sex, and sociodemographic and behavioral differences in the prevalence of clinical AL are also examined., Methods: A stratified, multistage probability design formula was used to separate the adult Chilean population into two age cohorts. The first group consisted of 1,092 young adults (age range: 35 to 44 years), and the second group consisted of 469 adult seniors (age range: 65 to 74 years). All subjects were examined to measure clinical AL. The research also included an evaluation, conducted through oral interviews, of social and health aspects of the subjects. Clinical AL was measured in all teeth surfaces, excluding third molars. Results were analyzed using a multivariable model and logistic regression., Results: A total of 93.45% of the young adults had ≥ 1 site with clinical AL >3 mm compared with 97.58% of the adult seniors, with an average of 6.51 and 15.81 missing teeth, respectively (P <0.05). The number of sites with severe clinical AL (>6 mm) was 38.65% in young adults and 69.35% in senior adults (P <0.05). Clinical AL was significantly higher in males than in females (P <0.05). The multivariate analyses identified that the main risk indicators for clinical AL >6 mm in ≥ 1 site were: age (65 to 74 years), sex (male) low education level (

Purpose: To evaluate the efficacy of an abstinence-centered sex education program in adolescent pregnancy prevention, the TeenSTAR Program was applied in a high school in Santiago, Chile., Methods: A total of 1259 girls from a Santiago high school were divided into three cohorts depending on the year they started high school: the 1996 cohort of 425 students, which received no intervention; the 1997 cohort, in which 210 students received an intervention and 213 (control group) did not; and the 1998 cohort, in which 328 students received an intervention and 83 (control group) did not. Students were randomly assigned to control and intervention groups in these cohorts, before starting with the program. We conducted a prospective, randomized study using the application of the TeenSTAR sex education program during the first year of high school to the intervention groups in the 1997 and 1998 cohorts. All cohorts were followed up for 4 years; pregnancy rates were recorded and subsequently contrasted in the intervention and control groups. Pregnancy rates were measured and Risk Ratio with 95% confidence interval were calculated for intervention and control groups in each cohort., Results: Pregnancy rates for the intervention and control groups in the 1997 cohort were 3.3% and 18.9%, respectively (RR: 0.176, CI: 0.076-0.408). Pregnancy rates for the intervention and control groups in the 1998 cohort were 4.4% and 22.6%, respectively (RR 0.195, CI: 0.099-0.384)., Conclusions: The abstinence-centered TeenSTAR sex education intervention was effective in the prevention of unintended adolescent pregnancy.

We report that oxidative phosphorylation and Ca2+ uptake processes are enhanced in liver mitochondria isolated from benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P)-treated rats. The carcinogen did not affect either the respiratory control index or the Ca2+ control ratio. B[a]P treatment increased the oxidation rate of several substrates that donate electrons at the level of all three coupling sites, either the ADP- or Ca2+-stimulated rates or those observed after ADP or Ca2+ exhaustion. However, the efficiency of energy coupling was maintained because both ADP/O and Ca2+/site ratios remained unchanged. The electron flow through NADH-oxidase, NADH-duroquinone reductase, NADH-juglone reductase, NADH-cytochrome c reductase, succinate-cytochrome c reductase, and cytochrome c oxidase was enhanced by B[a]P; however, succinate dehydrogenase activity was not affected. All these effects depended on the time post B[a]P administration, with a greater increase close to 48 h after administration of the carcinogen. The contents of cytochromes b, c1, and a + a3 from liver mitochondria, especially those isolated 48 h after B[a]P, were also significantly increased, although cytochrome c levels was just lightly increased 24 h after B[a]P treatment. These results suggest that B[a]P treatment stimulates mitochondrial respiration by increasing the level of several components of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. This may reflect mitochondrial adaptation to the cellular energy requirements of cell division in the neoplastic transformation process.

Objective: Percutaneous mitral valvotomy (PMV) is an alternative to the surgical treatment of mitral stenosis. Results obtained with PMV appear to depend on the echocardiographical characteristics of the valvular apparatus. The purpose of this study was to report the immediate and late-term results with PMV. The incidence of late events (restenosis, mitral valve replacement and death), and their correlation with echocardiographic score (Wilkin's score) are also discussed., Methods: Between December 1987 and August 1999, a total of 160 PMVs were performed at our institution. Ninety-six patients with a minimum of 6 months follow-up and echocardiographic evaluation of the mitral valve (Wilkin's score) before and after the procedure were selected for this study. Follow-up was available for 99% of the patients, with a mean follow-up of 33 +/- 22 months (range, 6 months to 11 years). Hazard ratio (HR) and Cox's regression were used for statistical analyses., Results: PMV was successfully performed in 97% of the cases; in 84%, the result was considered optimal. The incidence of complications related to the procedure was 10%; no mortality was observed due to PMV. Severe mitral regurgitation was observed in 7% of the patients, but only 3% of the total group developed ventricular dysfunction or worsened their New York Heart Association functional class. Eight-four percent of the patients were free of late events at the end of the follow-up period. A restenosis rate of 34% was observed during follow-up; this rate did not correlate with age, functional class or atrial fibrillation. Restenosis was associated with pulmonary hypertension (HR 2.85; 95% confidence interval, 0.68-11.80). Also, Wilkin's score was not useful to predict the development of restenosis or clinical events in the mid- to long-term., Conclusion: In our series, PMV had a high immediate success rate and a low incidence of complications due to the procedure. Incidence of late events was also low and was unrelated to the Wilkin's score; however, recurrence of stenosis was observed in one-third. Pulmonary hypertension should be considered to be an important clinical predictor of restenosis.