Comparing periodontitis biomarkers in saliva, oral rinse and gingival crevicular fluid: A pilot study.

Aim: To explore the feasibility of screening for periodontitis by measuring biomarkers, namely total proteolytic activity (TPA), matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-8, chitinase, lysozyme or their combination, in saliva, oral rinse and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF).

Material And Methods: Subjects were recruited among healthy/gingivitis individuals and untreated periodontitis patients in Academic Centre for Dentistry Amsterdam (ACTA). All participants donated samples of unstimulated whole saliva, oral rinse and GCF.

Personality characteristics and individual factors associated with PTSD in firefighters one month after extended wildfires.

Background: Firefighters participate in activities with intense physical and psychological stress and are constantly at risk to develop various psychopathological reactions.

Aims: To investigate psychological reactions in firefighters one month after devastating wildfires in Greece, during August 2007, which lead to the devastation of large areas and the death of 43 people among whom three were firefighters.

Methods: One month after the wildfires, a joint task force of mental health clinicians was organized in order to provide psychological support and to investigate the psychological consequences of wildfires to firefighters.